Romeo And Juliet
by irl be there in a heartbeat
Summary: Candice Winters lives nothing but a painful memory. After her mothers' death, she is now a silent girl without the power to go on. When she meets Chase Davenport, her life becomes even more complicated then she ever thought it'd be; Especially since her father has something against the Davenports. Will her and Chase finally overcome their troubles and live Happily Ever After?
1. Prologue

**PROLOGUE**

* * *

Romeo and Juliet. That was the title that best described us; because to be fair, I couldn't think of anything else.

I watched as Daisy danced happily through the snow. Her long brown hair, similar to mine, flowing freely in the wind. I admired my litttle daughter, looking at her soft locks bouncing on her shoulders, eyes full of mischief and craze.

An arm wrapped around my waist and I was pulled close to the one boy that drove me insane, yet still loved me for that.

"Do you think she'll notice soon?" he murmurs, nuzzling his head in the crook of my neck.

"She already knows what 34 times 28 is, and she's 5." I laugh, turning around and wrapping my arms around his neck.

This moment, right here, it was perfect. Kissing in the snow, flakes of the cold white blizzard landing on the tops of our heads. I could taste the snow on his lips, and I couldn't help but smile.

Chase Davenport was alot of things. Smart, a human calculator, funny, mischevious. He disobeyed so many rules, but always came through with it in the end.

I pulled away and looked deep into his eyes. Those eyes that captured my heart when we first met; those eyes that made me fall head over heels. His smile that created a flurry of butterflies in my stomach.

We were seperated, trying to navigate through the unfamiliar world that's called friendship. Our fathers hated the idea of us together, creating an all out war between our two families.

We were forbideen to love. Forbidden to see each other.

I knew that this boy would always be there for me. We fought, of course we did, but no couple can be perfect. I remembered when we first met, up until our last visit to the Davenport residence.

People always say that humans are weak, feeble creatures with the power to destroy everything in their path. Humans are the real threat to the world. We relish in war, take an interest in hate. Nobody is a saint, everyone makes mistakes.

Chase was different. He was human, of course he was, but a unique type of human. And even though he had the power to create a nuclear syringe, he held his fear and hate in, thus making the boy I fell in love with.

I loved him. He loved me. And our daughter just fell face first into the snow; yet I wouldn't have it any other way.

My name is Candice Winters/Davenport, and this is my story.

* * *

**Heya! This is the prologue, I'll be updating the 1st chapter soon after :)  
Anywayss, thanks for reading and please leave a review?**


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1  
Thank you guys for reviewing :)  
**

* * *

"Come one, Candy. Say hello."

I shake my head at the therapist, Barbara, who's holding a tape recording over my mouth. So far we've made no progress, and it's already been two weeks. She won't ever get me to talk. She can shake and annoy me all she wants, but silence is my main priorty.

"I don't know what you want us to do, Candice. I know that your mothers death must have been a horrible experience for you, but there's nothing we can do about it; depression isn't good." _There's nothing you can do! You don't get it! None of you do! _

Gritting my teeth, I sigh under my breath. Barbara collects her stuff hastily, pushing a notepad towards me. "Here. If you won't talk, please write me a note to tell me how your finding these therapy lessons."_  
_

I grab my pen, licking my lips slowly. As usual, I take my time. _I don't need help. _Is what I write in big, bold letters. She takes the notepad from me and nods, not even bothering to say goodbye before she exits the room.

My eyes glance around my bedroom for moment, taking in my surroundings. It didn't look real anymore. Before, when my mom was still alive, I loved my room. Every single musical note on the special poster my dad set up was magic. I'd even hear the soft jingles whenever I settled down for bed. But now, now that she's gone, they're nothing but dull inked creations.

Tommorow was my first day at Mission Creek High School. They'd think I'm a freak, they'd think that my tongue was surgically removed. I never spoke, not even to my father who's been trying desperately for the last 5 months to get any sign of communication out of me.

Reaching over, I grab the picture of me and mom just 4 days before her death. Her happy, smiling face was beaming as usual, and I was actually happy that time. Nowadays, I dont even know how to smile, laughing is nothing more then just an action for me. What's humour? Is it a joke, or a playful comment?

I nestle into the soft cover of my bed, tears streaming down my face. It takes minutes, hours, to get to sleep; and even when I do, nothing pleasant ever appears. It's just nightmares. Nightmares nightmares nightmares.

* * *

The hallways of Mission Creek High are long and expanded, making it almost impossible for me to find my locker. I consider seeking other students for help; but that would tarnish my reputation as the girl that doesn't talk. I wouldn't be too pleased if that happened.

I lean against some lockers, scanning the white sheet of paper with my locker number and combination. My eyebrows furrow with utter confusion and I jump once I hear somebody clicking their fingers. "Uhm, hey. I dont know if you know this but your kinda leaning against my locker." I look up, fixating my gaze on a boy with brown hair and eyes. He grins, exposing his pearly white teeth.

Embaressed, I shift away from his locker and lean against the one next to it, once again trying to look for my own. "Lost?" he asks, still smiling. I nod. "What's your name, newbie?" I wince when he says newbie. "Oh. Sorry. I'm Chase. You are...?"

I just stare at him with a blank expression. "Oh well... Welcome to MC High!" he laughs, a smile gracing his lips. He takes my timetable, his hands brushing mine ever so gently. I ignore the nagging spark that engulfs my arm and hand, sending an unbearable tingling sensation up my wrist.

Nodding, I follow Chase to my locker. It's only four locker doors down from his, which I wasn't so excited about. Being near Chase meant having to talk more; and I wanted to stay in this state of depression, I didn't need anyone.

"Here you are," he turns the combination and opens the locker door for me. "I'll see you around, yeah?" he starts walking backwards, waving. I let a small smile appear on my lips and turn back to place my books inside of my locker. My first class was English.

Once I reach room twenty-nine, I'm greeted by a paper aeroplane flying past my shoulder. The whole class is chaos; a complete wreck. Students are dancing on tables, and the teacher is hanging upside down from the ceiling. Everybody stops and turns their attention to me as I walk through the door, wearily side stepping an unconcious girl on the floor.

I look down at my shoes, snapping my head up when an over-excited girl runs up to me with a gleeful expression. "Heya! I'm Bree Davenport!"

As usual, I don't respond with words. I simply smile and nod at her, earning a confused look in return. "Are you okay? Your not deaf are you? You can talk right?" something tells me that Bree's not the typical teenage girl who knows everything to do about socialising.

"Bree, leave her alone. She's not talking because she's an Avox!" a slightly taller boy states, smiling at both of us. It's quite entertaining that he just used a Hunger Games reference.

"She's not an Avox," Chase chuckles, jumping down from one of the tables and jogging over. "She's the new girl."

"Really? What's her name?" Bree asks, glancing at me and smiling politely.

"I don't know. She won't tell me." _And I probably never will._

"HER NAME IS CANDICE WINTERS!" The teacher yells out, his cheeks crimson from hanging upside down. The blood rushes to his cheeks, making him glow like a red fire._  
_

Chase smiles kindly. For some odd reason, I get a warm feeling bubbling up inside of my stomach when he does so.

What was up with me?

* * *

**Review? ;)  
**


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2  
Aw, just read through my reviews this morning and I'd like to thank you all :)  
**

* * *

Books tumble out of my locker as I open the door, colliding with each other on the way down. Frowning, I pick them up and place them back in, ignoring the looks being thrown my way. I wanted to scream at them, yell at them, tell them that I was just another human being. So what if I didn't talk? I was broken, didn't they see that?

Light floods the halls of Mission Creek, rays of sunshine bouncing off blue and silver paint. Principal Perry glances at me with a sympathetic look. Slamming my locker door shut, I stalk past her. I didn't need her pity, or sympathy.

I make my way into room twenty-five, my maths room, expecting a disastrous group of students yet again. Surprisingly, however, everyone is seated in their usual seat. Their heads turn my way and I can hear whispers and confused questions.

"Why, hello there Miss Winters," The teacher, Mr Allen, greets. I try to keep my head down low, but that's almost an impossible task since the eyes of many pupils are burning into me. "Please take a seat next to Chase Davenport." Quietly, I make my way towards Chase, who's grinning.

"Well hello again," he whispers, leaning back on his chair and tapping the tip of his pencil on the wooden desk. Again, there's that awful soft feeling creeping into my system. It fills me with a strange satisfaction that almost scares me. "How are you?"

Everyone looks at Chase as if he was crazy. He probably was; nobody dared to talk to me. I was nicknamed so many things, some I haven't even judged myself to be. Emo, goth, loner, sadist, Avox. It hurt, every single insult that was directed at me felt like a blunt bullet.

I try to focus on the lesson, blocking out everything that I thought was a distraction - Chase, for example. He'd stare at me whenever I so much as bit my pen, he'd smile whenever I started drawing random stuff on a piece of scrap paper.

When the lesson was over, I quickly bolted out of the room. It didn't help that Chase was calling for me, following me. A little voice inside of my head shouted at me to give him a glare, or tell him to go away. I knew it was wrong to make friends with him, I knew that I shouldn't let him into my pathetic excuse of a life.

I burst out of the front doors, collapsing on the steps that lead up to Mission Creek. I could run away right now; tell everybody that they don't need to start a search party. They didn't need me, I didn't need them. Trust is hard to earn, yet it's so easy to lose. One text, one phone call, one letter, could break one person. It would take more then a thousand texts, phone calls and letters to build that one person back up.

"Don't even think about it," I quickly jerk my head to the side, my neck clicking in the process. As I had expected, Chase was right behind me, a worried look on his face. "Don't run away."

For a second, my face shows a look of confusion and sadness. I quickly disguise it with a small smile, masking the hurt lurking behind my hazel orbs. He sits next to me, and we're so close that my heart starts beating erratically. "Can you tell me?"

I pull my knees up to my chest, uncomfortably shifting away from him slightly. Tell him what? I give him a questioning look and he sighs. "Why you wont talk." he says it like it's a simple statement. But it never is; nothing's simple. Life's hard, it's full of disappointments. We all fall at some point; some are lucky enough to be the ones who are catched, the others fall into a deep dark abyss that holds no future.

"Please tell me, Candice. I wanna help." That's what everyone says. They try to help, but then they give up. They don't give up on the purpose of their mission, they give up on me.

I stare into Chases' eyes. They're full of life, sparkling with a newly found fire. They're holding a genuine promise, yet I still couldn't bring myself to trust him. I knew that I was vulnerable; weak, someone to be made fun of.

"Please, Candice," he whispers, cupping my face in his hand. He leans in, closing his eyes. For a split second I contemplate whether to slap him, but instead I jump up from the steps and run back inside.

I lean against the lockers when I'm sure that Chase wasn't attempting to follow me anymore. Taking a deep breath, I try to pull myself back together. Tears threaten to spill out of my eyes, but I hold them in and make my way towards the cafeteria.

The second I enter the doors, Bree stands up on her table and waves excitedly at me. She was nice, I guess. She carried that loving, happy atmosphere with her wherever she went. "Candy! Over here!" she points at the table where her, Adam and Leo were sitting. I smile and walk over.

"Yay! Another girl! Seriously, these two boys are so boring! I mean, superheroes? Honestly!" Bree points at the two, who are currently arguing about Spider-Man's weaknesses.

"So, where did you run off to today? After maths, I mean." She questions, making shapes with her fingers. I think about explaining my problem with Chase, but that would involve talking. Rather then telling her the recent drama that's happened between her brother and me, I just shrug.

Bree nods, understanding my preferred silence. We watch Adam and Leo argue a little bit more about comics and books. Before we know it, the bell rings, signalling the end of lunch and the start of fourth period.

The rest of the day went by uneventful. I would catch Chase glancing at me every now and then, holding an apologetic look in his eyes. Whenever he did I'd just uncomfortably look away, finding some way to distract myself.

I have noticed quite a few things though. Chase is smart; not just any smart, but up to Einstein standard. Bree was an amazing runner; she finished running the whole entire length of the field within ten seconds. Adam was incredibly strong, being able to pull off a locker door from it's secured bolts.

I don't question the strange behaviours, thinking that it was for the best. I mean, they never complained about my quiet attitude, why should I complain about theirs?

* * *

**Review please? ;)**


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3  
Thanks for reviewing!  
**

* * *

I missed my voice.

As much as I hated to admit it, I missed my very own voice. I missed laughing, the feeling of happiness. I missed surpressing the urge to explode into fits of laughter when it wan't necessary.

That girls gone. The girl who used to laugh whenever she saw a cat cross the road, the girl who loved it when she recieved a hug from someone she hardly knew.

She died.

She dissapeared along with my mother, leaving a sad, lost Candice Winters in its wake.

Reaching over, I snatch my phone off the dresser and click the unlock button. I had a new message. In restrospect, I knew that I shouldn't have given Bree Davenport my number, but she practically forced it out of me.

She mentioned something about the school dance next week. I groaned; I knew how to dance, I just didn't have anyone to go with. And I'm pretty sure I'll never even be caught dead in a prom.

I didn't mind the slow dances, or the songs the DJ played. It was the stereotypical endings that bothered me; how all of the girls thought that they'd have clear happy nights. It's never like that.

I thought about what Chase would do if I actually turned up to Prom. Of course he'd be surprised, even I'd wear a look of shock on my face at some point.

I fell asleep that night with a smile on my face, instead of my tears streaming down onto the bed sheets.

* * *

I'm awoken from my peaceful slumber by the sound of glass smashing. Sighing, I sit up and exit the bedroom, slowly making my way towards my fathers study. I haven't stepped foot in it ever since my mom's death, so the feeling wasn't very pleasant.

I peak my head timidly into the room, the strong smell of alcohol and cigarette smoke clogging my nostrils. The aroma is so disgusting that it nearly triggers my gag reflex. "Candice," my dad grunts, shifting his position on the bed. "Get out. I don't want you here."

It wasn't the nicest thing to wake up to, especially on days like this, but I hesitantly accepted his hateful comment and started getting ready.

I stepped into school, once again trying to block out everyone's annoying glares and glances. As usual, Bree, Adam, Leo and Chase were waiting at my locker. I wanted to ask them why they thought so much about me, why they were quizzically devoted to this troubled girl that never opened her mouth to speak.

I twisted the locker combination and took my books out without a word. Trent, one of the jocks, walked towards us, trapping me against the lockers. It's not a threatening position to be in; more like flirtatious. "So this is Candice?" he smirks.

"Yes, it is," Chase snaps, squeezing past Bree and standing next to me protectively. "And I don't really think she wants to be anywhere near you."

Trent snorts and ignores him. "Your pretty, kiddo," he strokes my hair, earning a slap from Chase and a warning from Adam. "Why don't you talk?"

"She doesn't want to, obviously. Just leave her alone, Trent. Make it easier for all of us." Bree snarls.

Trent gives me his signature smirk once again. I feel so small compared to him, a huge jock with the power to snap my neck in seconds. "I'll see you around," he's about to walk away, but stops and whispers in my ear. "You think your life's hell now? Wait till I'm done with you."

I freeze.

There's something _peculiar_ about Trent.

He's wearing some sort of unisex cologne.

The one that the killer was wearing when they decided to end my mothers life.

The scent is overwhelming; bringing back memories that Barbara had tried so hard to demolish. It's pouring into my brain, the slight scent unnerving my fragile body.

The colour from my face drains, and I can already sense myself turning a sickly white colour. Without warning, I faint.

* * *

"Is she gonna be okay, Nurse?"

"I don't know. I think that she may be an insomniac, and that's a big problem for someone her age. What's her reputation in school at the moment?"

"Well, she doesn't speak. Only ever smiles and nods, but I don't even think that they're genuine."

My eyes flutter open slowly, and I can see the Nurse and the Davenport siblings talking amongst themselves. The room smelt strongly of bleach and medication, which didn't help my headache at all.

"Oh goodie, your awake," The nurses smiles, taking out a needle and injecting the liquid into my arm. Unlike most teenage girls, I didn't really mind needles. I've suffered way worse. "You should be stable for the rest of the day, but I strongly recommend you stick with a friend in case you faint again." she gives me a smile and exits the room.

Bree walks over and gives me a big hug. "I'm so glad your okay," this time, instead of not returning it, I hug her back just as tight. "I'm really sorry, Candy, but I have to get to my P.E class. If I don't then Mrs Davies will kill me," Bree smiles apologetically and waves goodbye.

"Yeah, I need to get to Chemistry. See ya around, Candice. Don't die on anyone anytime soon." Adam ruffles my hair and walks out, carefully side stepping Chase, who's leaning against the door frame.

"Are you okay?" He asks, walking over. I shrug, looking down at my shoes.

"Please say something, Candice. Give me a sign that all hope is not lost." he smiles weakly, but its not his usual cheeky grin. It's a forced, sad, neglected twitch of the lips. "Please?"

The pleading look in his eyes makes me go weak at the knees. It fills my heart with a supernatural satisfaction that I never knew existed. "Thank you, Chase."

* * *

**Ooft, she talked :)  
Review? ;)**


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4  
Thanks for reviewing!xx  
**

* * *

Flawless, light, light as a feather. That was what I felt like; and only because I talked to Chase.

Now, it never occurred to me that Chase would be the only person I would trust. If anything, the likes of him would be the last thing on my Friendship list.

"You actually talked!" he sang, running around his house with a gleeful expression plastered across his face. I gave him a crooked smile and fiddled with my bracelet.

"Oh come on, don't look so unhappy! Let's go do something!" he practically shouts, taking my arm and flopping down on the couch. As clumsy as I am, I lose balance and end up falling on top of him.

Luckily, I was quite a weightless girl. Chase blushed and grinned, brushing the hair out of my eyes. "Your beautiful." he whispers. A small blush creeps and appears on my cheeks, making me go crimson with embaressment.

Shaking my head, I try to stand back up, but he pulls me back down. It wasn't an aggresive, rough or violent pull. It was caring, something nobody showed me since that dreadful day.

"Well, well, _well_!" Leo shouts loudly, entering the room with wide eyes. "Seriously guys, if your gonna do _that_, then get a room!"

Chase rolled his eyes but didn't loosen his firm yet gentle grip, trapping my body _very_ close to his. I was straddling his lap, something only couples do. I don't know why, and I don't know how, but I actually kind of liked it.

Leo sat down next to Chase and folded his arms. "What?" Chase asks, raising his eyebrow. He wraps his arms protectively around my waist, making me feel safe and secure.

"You never hugged me like that!" Leo huffs, his eyes turning immensely big. I held in the urge to laugh, because this poor boy must have been made fun of enough already today.

"But thats because... Candice is a _girl_... Your _Leo_!" Chase explains, looking a little frustrated.

The rest of the evening consisted of pillow fights, and watching a scary movie. Bree was the only one who voted for a chick flick, so we chose a thriller instead.

The lights were off and the only light was the faint glow coming from the plasma itself. I was sitting on the floor next to Chase, Bree and Adam were settled on the couch. Occasionally I would feel Chase's burning stare drilling a hole menacingly in my head, trying to wedge itself into my thoughts.

I didn't know how long I was at the Davenport residence for, but by the time the movie ended, I was too exhausted to catch a cab back home. Chase carried me up to his room, staring at me the whole way there.

I'm so tired, so wired, and so unable to keep my mind on anything but Chase Davenport. The way he smiled, the way he talked. The way every single thing he did was flawless. His smarts, his cute plaid clothes.

The next morning I woke up to the shrill bell of an alarm clock. I started panicking when I realised that I wasn't in my own room, but in Chases.

He was in bed next to me, arms wrapped around my body tight. He had a small smile on his face, and looked so peaceful when he was sleeping.

I tried to gather all of the events from the previous night, getting some stuff mixed up in the process. It wasn't an easy task to do, especially when I was still so tired. Did I drink the night before? If so, no wonder I had a terrible headache.

I stayed wrapped up in Chase's arms for what seemed like ages. I listened steadily to his heartbeat; rythmic and smooth. I paid attention to how his muscles tensed then relaxed everytime he breathed.

The soft melody of music rang through the upper landing of the huge house, reaching Chase's bedroom. It didn't take long for me to realise that it was coming from Bree's bedroom. The music interwined with the loud, heavy clanging from Adam. I closed my eyes and sighed dreamily._ So this was what a family felt like._

Much to my dismay, it was a Saturday, which meant yet another therapy session from Barbara. I groaned inwardly, remembering our previous encounters. None of them were very pleasant, and none of them meant anything to me.

I knew that she was just trying to help. Whenever she entered the room, a small, hopeful glint in her eye suggested that she had the tiniest bit of faith in me. It was a waste of time; for me, and for her.

I looked around the room for a bit, studying my new unfamiliar surroundings. Unlike a normal boys' room, Chases' was full of amazing things. A globe of the world, a whole wall full of Space and Maths posters. There was a test tube rack in one corner, next to a bunch of highly classified chemicals.

It was a stereotypical geeks room, but Chase was far from a geek. In fact, his smart attitude and charming personality made him attractive.

Chase stirred a bit in his sleep, and he held me alot tighter. It seemed as if he was having a nightmare - a very _awful_ one at that. He kept biting his lip, frowning.

Eventually, his eyes shot open, sweat trickling down his face. His side-swept hair stuck out at odd angles, yet it made him look different. A good different.

"Candice," he whispered, looking at me with worried eyes. "You okay?"

I nodded. "Y-yes." I said timidly. My voice sounded weird, almost robotic. I guessed that was what four months of depression did to you. "Are _you_ okay?"

He shook his head, smiling slightly. "No, not this time."

"What happened?" I asked, genuinely curious. He looked so bothered, so confused, that it unnerved me. However, Chase just shook his head once more and gave me a another meak smile.

* * *

**Review? ;)**


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5  
Thanks for reviewing!xx  
**

* * *

My therapy session went by uneventful. I didn't say one word to Barbara, even though I said masses of sentences to Chase.

Since I was missing for the whole of the night, my father went haywire. He threw his beer bottles at me, occasionally cutting my cheek or arms. Basically, I was a bloody wreck.

"Your worthless, stupid little cow!" he yelled, aiming green shards of glass at me. I protected my face, but it was no use. The shards kept coming; one after another, some even whole glass slates.

"You start acting like it's all _my _fault that your mother died?! It's yours! You froze, and she died! It should have been you!" _It should have been me. It really **should** have been me._

Frantic, I tried running out of the house. The Davenports residence was only 10 minutes away if I ran, and I needed _somewhere _to go. I wasn't just going to stay there and let my father abuse me even more.

He grabbed my hair, yanking it like a leashe. He bought his face close to mine, making me cringe and shiver in fear. The hate was visible in his expression, and his breath smelt like expired vodka.

This wasn't his usual beating. Normally I'd get out of the house with only a couple of bruises, or even a cut lip; but this time, it was different.

A _terryfying_ different.

Reaching for the knife, he grasped it in both hands. His face was menacing, physcotic, mental. It showed no resemblance of the kind, loving father he used to be. The one who picked me up and spun me around until I lightly punched his arm; the one who used to bring home little dinky charms from work.

Our beautiful family was gone. It was never coming back.

He took my arm and poised the knife above it's delicate skin. He cackled, a deep, cold laugh. Counting from three to zero, he finally slashed away at my arm like a frightening animal.

I shrieked. I screamed, I yelled, I gasped, I whimpered. Silence.

Blood flowed in a steady waterfall from my arm, down to my fingers. It's lucious, thick coating seeped through my finger nails and coated everything in it's path.

I never knew that I was losing so much blood. All I did was think about how the pain was numbed, how my father retreated upstairs with yet another bottle of alcohol grasped in his hand.

Carefully, I spent the next two hours trying to bandage up my damaged limb. It worked, and I forced myself to wear a long sleeved T-shirt. It was midnight, so I left. I just needed to get away from my "father".

The street was eerily quiet as I walked past houses and families. I hugged myself, thinking about my once fairytale-worthy life. I had a lively personality, I never cried. I had lots of friends, but they all turned away when I needed them the most.

I used to chat all day and sometimes well into the night; I played guitar, trying to make up silly songs to sing for my parents. Every single weekend we'd go out and do something, despite the fact that our wallets were tight.

My life wasn't _perfect_. In fact, it was from from it. Bad grades and constant partying would always be my main downfall, but at least my parents were there to _cushion_ my fall, not once uttering a single word of complaint.

But after my mothers funeral, instead of returning to the girl everyone supposedly "loved", I began keeping my feelings and opinions to myself. I took cautious steps, I never let myself get attatched to anyone. One slip, and I was done for. One slip, and there was no going back.

Chase... somehow, he understood me. He understood why I never talked, he understood why I never trusted easily. He knew all of that without even hearing my backstory.

I sat down on the old bench near the park, willing myself not to cry. My sight was blurred and I couldn't see anything due to my massive tears.

Thunder rumbled and grumbled, fitting my mood perfectly. The bitter breeze swayed around me and the wind tangled itself in my hair, making me shiver slightly. "Can't sleep?"

I was knocked out of my daydreams when I looked up and saw Adam Davenport making his way towards me. There was a rough 2 years age difference between us, so we were never in the same classes.

I shook my head. "Me either. Bree snores and Chase always annoys me about the thunder," he pulled a face and I smiled. "So what's got you up then, kiddo?"

I picked up a pebble and threw it across the park. Adam did the same and threw it high up in the air... and it never come back down. I raised my eyebrow. "I uhm... I took weightlifting lessons."

Weightlifting lessons didn't determine how high you were able to throw something. Once again I shrugged and stared up at the skies. We would be in a pitch black field if it wasn't for the faint glow coming from the street lamp posts.

Adam talked to me for a bit, telling me about his life. It was nice having a little company.

Eventually he had to go and I was left on my own again. Cars honked and people screamed; not from pain, but from joy. A couple of teenage girls walked past and I couldn't help but feel unnatural, compared to their make-up caked faces and irregular nose jobs.

* * *

The next day I couldn't help but feel scared. Luckily, there was no P.E so I didn't have to change into those short-sleeved polo tops that would, no doubt, show my scar.

No, that wasn't what I was afraid of.

I walked into school that morning with my head held low, as usual. The corridors were deserted and so was the cafeteria. Nobody seemed to be in their normal classes, either.

I started to panic, until I heard a large group of people chanting, "Fight! Fight! Fight!"

I followed the direction of the sound, my heart pounding heavily in my chest.

The sound echoed from the gym, and once I stepped foot into the huge hall, the whole rush of yelling and screaming hit me like a hammer.

Desperately, I tried looking around the room for the Davenport siblings. Bree, Adam and Leo were huddled in the corner, arguing.

"You shouldn't have set Spike off, you brainless idiot!" Bree hissed at Adam. He held his hands up in defeat.

"Hey! If he stands that close to the gloves it's gonna happen!" he whined.

I tapped Leo, who was currently busy playing some game on his DSi, on the shoulder. I cocked my head to the side and gave him a questionable look.

"OH! UHM, HAYYYYYYY, CANDICE!" He greeted wearily, a huge yet fake smile plastered across his face. It was obvious that he was trying to hide something.

"Candy! How much of that did you hear?" Bree asked frantically, stepping forward and shoving Leo over to Adam.

To be honest, I was so puzzled that I could only ask one question. "Who's Spike?"

They glanced at each other with wide eyes. This was the first ever time I spoke to them, since Chase was the only one I could actually carry a whole conversation with.

"You... You talked!" Bree whispered excitedly. "Candice! You actually talked!"

I nodded, amused by her shocked face. "Yeah," I smiled. "But who's Spike?"

A loud, deep voice answered my question. It sounded sinister, frightening. It had a grumpy, growling edge to it, which made me feel even more uneasy. "Hey Dollface!"

Adam gulped, a sheepish smile appearing on his lips. "I think your just about to find out, Candice."

* * *

**I know the last 6 sentences didn't seem like my best work but I couldn't really think of anything else :)  
Review? ;)**


	7. Candice's English Assignment

**Hey guys! So, This is just a little drabble I made up for my English Assignment in school (I edited it so it fit with the storyline, because Candice has gotten some English Homework too ;)) and I wanted to know what you guys thought of it? Thanks for reading! :)**

* * *

**Candice's English Assignment**  
**Love and Fear**  
**Personal Project**

**Love. It's such a common thing; an emotion that everybody feels at least once in their lifetime. Whether it's brotherly love, sisterly love, or the love you have for your dog or cat. You can't expect someone to love you straight away, unless, of course, it was meant to be. You'll suffer ups and downs in your life, some of them you may not like very much. Either way, you can't control the path that your going to take.**

**I've loved people in my life. Some of them have come and go, a few of them have stayed. The ones who have stayed have changed drastically, never for the better. Their true colours were revealed, thus making me hesitant in trusting them again.**

**Some people say that love should be treasured. It's something only a certain person can give us, like happiness. Nothing in the world can make us like or unlike something without progress.**

**Being in love is truly something I can't describe. Not even Einstein, or the smartest kid in Mission Creek can describe. It has many side effects, good and bad. There is no escaping the cruel reality that gives us heartbreaks and torment.**

**The feeling is indescribable. The way I feel about a certain someone is definately... not something that can be explained with the perfect words. He makes me laugh and smile when I give up on myself, he'll always be there. I can depend on him.  
**

**I'm not going to lie, I still don't trust anyone. Not even him, and he's probably the only true friend I have. Trust is a difficult thing to give away, it's something we need to rethink.  
**

**I have vowed to myself never to let anything get the better of me. I shall keep my pride, hold my head up high. From my mothers death to this very day, I can consider myself weak. I was feeble, stupid, careless. I froze, and she died.**

** My actions are not tolerable, my mouth is zipped. People call me names, but I have learnt to move on and accept the fact that I am, no doubt, an outsider.**

**Fear is no different. Whether it's the fear of spiders or horror movies, everyone in their lifetime experiences it at one point. It's okay to cry sometimes, it's okay to seek for help. I've only just learnt this.**

**But, what is the real fear? Fear of the school bully? Fear of poking your eye with a mascara wand? Fear of horror movies, demons, or hell itself? Those aren't fears. The fear that we should all pay attention to, is the human race.  
**

**We are indestructable, we relish in war. We kill, insult and fight. Our weaknesses make us stronger, but sometimes it backfires and turns us into demons we never knew possible. We aren't superheroes, we're not Saints.  
**

**But fear makes us who we are; it makes us stronger, it makes us fighters. Without it, we'd be lost. Fear gives us the oppurtunity to stand up and shout, to throw the first punch or to retaliate, to show others that we're more then just breathing creatures.**

**Overall, I'm proud to have my fears. I'm proud to love, too. Most people often think that I'm cold hearted since I don't talk, and they can think that. I'm happy with who I am.  
**

_**By Candice Winters.**_

* * *

**Review? ;)  
**


	8. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6  
Hey guys I'm so sorry that I didn't update yesterday, I was really busy and the internet went weird :)  
P.S, Yes, I am a girl that likes lab rats :)  
**

**Enjoy! And thanks for reviewing! :)  
**

* * *

Confused, I stared at Adam. He scratched the back of his neck and Bree was worriedly biting her nails. Leo, who never was the boy to take notice, had his eyes focused on his game console.

I turned around slowly, expecting an intimidating football player, but instead I was greeted by a smirking Chase Davenport. There was something off about him; The way he smugly smiled, the way he held his posture. Confidence bloomed in the atmosphere he was carrying, making him look like an obnoxious teenage boy.

He strolled over to us, maintaining that icy grimace on his lips. "I haven't seen you around before," he sneered, folding his arms. I took a step back, colliding with Adam on the way, who placed two protective hands on my shoulders. I glanced up at him thankfully. "So, do you have a name or do I have to force it out of you?"

I was bewildered. Force it out of me? He knew my name - he did from the very beginning! What was wrong with him? Did he have amnesia? "Chase, it's Candice," I squeeked, bowing my head. I so wished that the ground would open up a black hole that would suck me into oblivion, because that option would be much better then having to face a bipolar Chase.

"Look at me when I'm talking to you," he growled, making me widen my eyes in fear. He took a few steps forward, our foreheads touching. My breathing quickened and I gulped. "I'm not Chase. I'm Spike." he said confidently, voice quivering yet strong.

Chase/Spike grabbed my arm and forcefully pulled me out of the gym. Bree and Adam tried to stop him, yelling all sorts of abuse in his ear to try and reason with him. The whole time, I was begging for Chase or Spike to let go. The scar on my arm was slowly re-opening, making me squirm with disgust and discomfort.

"Chase, stop, please!" I whispered, but it made him angrier. "Your hurting me! _Stop Chase_!"

I was frantic now, trying to wriggle out of his strong, firm grasp. Bree was doing everything she could to pry Chase off of me, and so was Adam. We must have looked like a group of mental lunatics crowding the halls, but I could care less about my reputation.

* * *

**He knew it was wrong.**

**Chase Davenport knew he had comical glitches, yet he was stubborn enough to get into another fight with Trent. If Chase hadn't recieved his alter-ego Spike, he would have torn limb from limb by the captain of the football team.**

**He could see everything that was happening through his own eyes. But, unfortunately, he couldn't control himself. Spike took over, ridding every single weak spot in the youngest Davenport's body. He could see Candice, screaming, squirming. He could feel her tensing up, he could see the terrified look in her eyes.**

**And he couldn't do anything about it.**

**He knew how fragile Candice Winters was; how the smallest event can stay drilled in her mind forever. Her heart, mind and trust was broken and it was his job to find the pieces.**

**Normally, everything that happened whilst Chase was Spike was never mentioned. He never knew what Spike was doing, he never questioned what happened. But the thought of letting his alter-ego hurt Candice was something he could never live with, let alone encounter.**

**So, with great determination, he had a mind battle with the fearless brute while Bree and Adam took Candice away.**

* * *

"Candice," Bree sighed, running a hand through her tangled brown hair. "Chase doesn't normally act like that. I mean, you already know that but..." she gulped, giving Adam. "Should we tell her?"

"Davenport said -"

"Yeah, I know what Davenport said," Bree snapped, looking stressed. "But it's _Candice_. She cares about Chase as much as we do, Adam. We can trust her." Adam nodded, but still kept his mouth shut.

Bree took a seat next to me in the empty classroom, taking a deep breath. "We're not normal teenagers," she stated. I urged her to carry on, curiousity clearly evident in my expression. "I mean, we're human, just not... _human_ human. We're bionic teens, we all have some sort of power. I have super speed and agility, Adam here has super strength and Chase..." she sighed hesitantly. "He has superior intelligance and super bionic senses. His emotions trigger his alter ego, Spike. When he get's threatened, Spike comes out and he's basically a cocky, arrogant brute."

I stared at her. And stared some more. Then I stared again and again.

"What?" I chocked out, eyes bulging.

It would explain Chase's high grades and low social life.  
It would explain Bree's track time.  
It would explain how Adam threw a pebble and never had the chance to get it back.  
It would explain _everything._

"I know it's alot to take in, but that's what it is, really. Please don't be mad." Adam begged, biting into a pineapple. He gave a small yelp of pain once his flesh met the skin.

Taking a deep breath, I wearily nodded. "B-But... why? What for?"

"Davenport trained us so when all else fails... we can't." Bree replied, smiling. She looked worried, as if secretly regretting what she said.

I hugged her. Not just a normal hug, but an I-Understand-And-I'm-Sorry hug.

"I get it. And don't worry, I won't treat you any different."

"_Candice_! Your arms _bleeding_!" Leo squeeled, backing away. Adam carefully lifted the sleeve and peered at my scar, a look of horror appearing on his face.

* * *

**Review? ;)**


	9. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7  
Enjoy! And thanks for reviewing! :) xxx  
**

* * *

After school, Bree had to apply some special coating to my scar. I winced in agonizing pain as the substance did sting a little, but it worked and the throbbing feeling next to my vein soon faded.

"What happened, Candice?" she asked, bandaging the wound up carefully. Her gloved hand was a bloody mess, covered in dry and fresh red liquid.

"Uhm... I slipped and fell. Nothing too big."

Bree raised her eyebrow, but didn't question me any further. I silently breathed a sigh of relief when her back was turned.

"So what are you gonna do about Chase?" she asked me, handing over a hot cup of cocoa. I smiled at her gratefully and tried to avoid spilling it because of my bad arm.

"What do you mean?" I responded, twirling the mug around in between my hands. She smirked.

"You like him." Bree stated, still grinning. I blushed and hid behind my hair, my face as red as a tomato.

"I don't!" It was supposed to sound convincing and not at all a lie, but it came out muffled and unsure.

"Oh please," she laughed. "It's so obvious! He's the only boy your actually comfortable with! Though I don't really know what you see in my brother." she grimaced, but quickly replaced it with a bright smile.

"I don't like Chase." I whispered, but even I knew myself that it was a lie.

* * *

I sat in my bedroom after my short medical treatment with Bree, hoodie pulled up and guarding my face. The sky outside was a stunning light blue, clouds breaking the calm colour scheme.

I thought of earlier today and couldn't help but smile, despite the fact that the incident with Spike still made me shiver and breath deeply.

A light tapping sound snapped me out of my trance, but I decided to ignore it for a while, hoping that it would soon go away and I'd be left with peaceful silence. Unfortunately, the taps became louder and more demanding, forcing me to stand up and walk over to the window.

Yellow, sunny rays of light shone around the room, landing perfectly on the magazine positioned on top of my bed. I lifted the window and gulped.

Chase Davenport was standing on my porch, holding a blood red rose. It was a total cliche moment, but it was also a very sweet gesture.

"What are you doing?!" I whispered, smiling slightly. It still unnerved me that Spike was hiding somewhere underneath Chase's skin and beaming smile.

"I feel like such a jerk, Candice! I know I should have told you about Spike, but I was worried you wouldn't understand. I thought that you'd find me... strange and wouldn't wanna hang out with me anymore!"

I opened the window fully and jumped out, landing gracefully on my feet. I had gotten used to jumping out of windows, because whenever my dad beat me so hard that I couldn't take it anymore, I had to throw myself off of the window ledge just to escape his torment.

"I don't think your weird, Chase." I whispered, walking towards him. He smiled a little, but his eyes were full of unnecessary sadness. "You understood me when no one else did. You helped me when nobody wanted anything to do with me."

He grinned and wrapped his arms around me, pulling my body close to his. I responded by placing my arms around his neck. "That's because I knew you were different from any other girl I've seen."

"Why though?" I stared at him. "Why me?"

"You always think that nobody notices you. You keep your head down and never talk, thinking that your not special. But you _are_ Candice. Your the most down to earth, beautiful and secretive girl I know."

His words spun around in my head all day long, even when he took me out for a picnic date in the park. It stayed implanted in my mind when we went for a walk along the river bank, hands linked together. It flashed like neon signs in my head when he bought me back home.

"Thanks Chase," I said quietly, grinning. He hugged me one last time and pulled away, resting his hands on my hips. His eyes darted from my hazel orbs to my mouth, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

Chase closed his eyes and leaned in. This time, no matter how determined I was to refuse, I didn't have the willpower to stop him.

Our lips connected and a strange fiery sensation sparked in my body, making me crave Chase Davenport even more. The feel of his lips on mine was magically intoxicating, sending cold yet burning shivers down the back of my spine. His lips moved in rhythm with my own, not once missing a beat. The heat in his body radiated onto mine as our arms snaked their ways around each other.

Our eyes were closed, but I could feel Chase smile during the kiss. I smiled too, feeling truly special. Only _he_ could do this to me. His touch made me go crazy, his smile made me grow weak at the knees.

At long last we pulled away, quietly panting. Chase was grinning from ear to ear, and he rested his forehead on mine.

We stayed like that for a bit. No words needed to be spoken, because everything that we ever wanted to say to each other was wrapped up in that one kiss.

Eventually we had to part, thanks to the fact that my curfew was 2 hours ago.

Chase walked me up to the front porch and pecked my nose lightly, stepping back so I could enter the hell hole that I am obliged to call my house.

"Bye Candice." he grinned, waving and walking away.

As I stepped through the door, I couldn't help but wonder; what were we now? Were we going out? Was this just a one time thing? Am I important to him? Was he thinking about me too?

I settled into bed that night with many unanswered questions; some I didn't really mind, others made me grip the bed sheets in frustration.

* * *

**Whoop! They got together!  
Review? ;)**


	10. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8  
Enjoy! And thanks for reviewing! :) xxx  
**

* * *

I was floating. Arms outspread, water lapping my body, breathing in a summery fragrance of salt and coconut. I lifted my chin and the sun shone so brightly that I had to squint through spangles of light just to see where I was.

Somebody else was floating beside me. Someone I liked alot, who made me laugh and smile and forget everything in the human world.

He wrapped his arms tightly around me and I giggled, enjoying myself a lot. I stayed with him for what seemed like ages, unable to control my happy sighs.

I could hear Bree's distant laughing, Adam's chuckling, and Leo's game console. I could see all sorts of blue and yellow mountains up in the horizon, glowing brilliantly like a colourful dazzling inferno. The strong smell of sweet peaches and pineapples clogged my sense of smell, but I didn't care. I was with Chase, and that's all that mattered.

I stopped floating and turned to face him. His hair was soaking wet, and so was mine. Water lapped gently at our bodies and moved in silent waves, blocking out the world with swift, sharp motions.

I tried desperately to savour this moment, tried to catch it, pin it down, keep it safe, before all of these precious moments became yet another single memory.

Chase looked at me with his big, beautiful brown eyes. They captivated my own, refusing to let go until I had the courage to break our eye contact (which I, thankfully, never did).

Then the unthinkable happened.

I was ripped away from him recklessly, my flesh almost tearing out of my skin and landing in the hands of whoever tried to grapple my skin.

Chase was shocked, trying to stand up to run over to me. But it all happened so _fast_. I was rapidly moving across the sand, but it wasn't me controlling my legs. I was getting carried away, I was getting harrassed by someone I didn't even know the name of.

I was thrust inside a white van, and I knew that it was my father's company car. But _why_? _Why_ did he have to ruin my happiness? What was wrong with him?!

Furious, I pounded on the back of the doors with my fists and screeched like a banshee. My "dad" told me to shut the hell up, but I wouldn't. I kept crying, thrashing about, yelling, shifting. He couldn't do anything to stop me.

Once my throat started to hurt, and my eyes were fresh out of tears, and my head felt like it had been pounded with a hammer, I quietened down. But that didn't stop me from whimpering his name; _Chase Chase Chase._

Was this my fathers cruel way of showing me that I simply can't be happy? Didn't he want to move on?_  
_

I secretly loathed him. He had dealt with my mothers death _so well_ in the first couple months after her funeral. He had been so organised, forever going to work and coming back home on the right time.

He started to try and forget about her completely. He'd take several family photos and frames down, chucking them in the bin as if they meant nothing to him. I'd sometimes crawl out of bed and take them out, feeling guilty that I didn't try to stop him earlier.

He was right all along. It was my fault.

I remember it so clearly, as if it happened yesterday. We were walking back home from the cinema, me and my mom. We walked through an alleyway that always seemed so safe and secure, but not this night. We were so unfortunate; so silly, so clueless.

I had the joy of wearing mine and my moms 3D glasses on the way. My sight was dark and blurred, but I didn't care. I stumbled and laughed and danced, but then I heard a scream and froze, heart thudding.

There was a man no bigger then 6'7, and he had a menacing gun in his hand. It was so shiny, it looked so fake. I laughed and waved, thinking that it wasn't real... but it _was_. Oh, it so was. He trapped my mom in a headlock, cackling evily, cocked the gun towards her head, and pulled the trigger.

_Gunshots. Blood, lots of it. Gore and red liquid oozing on the slimy pavement. The 3D glasses ripped from my face. Tears streaming down my cheeks and staining my hoodie._

The van ceased to a halt and I was harshly pulled out from the back, swimsuit and all. We were at my house again, but it felt like a strangers' den. It wasn't the same anymore. No matter how many times I wanted to forget the past and keep my future intact, it couldn't be done._  
_

"Shut up, Candice!" he snarled, hurling me on the stairs. "What was that about, eh?! What's your problem?!"

Anger boiled up inside of me, and I lashed out. "_Me_?! _My_ problem?! My problem is _you_! Why did you do that?! I was _happy_! What is _wrong_ with you?!"

"Do not talk back to me like that!" he yelled, seizing me by the shoulders and shaking me viciously. "I forbid you to ever see that boy again! Do you hear?!"

I didn't want to hear him. I was yelling so loud that everything he said wasn't the slightest bit audible. But I did hear him, alright. I heard him but I couldn't bear to understand him.

"No! You can't control me anymore! You dont even act like a father! I hate you!"

'Dad' slapped my face and yanked on my hair, his eyes crossed between cold fury and pure hatred. "You will not talk to me like that! No daughter of mine is going to go off with a _Davenport_!" he said Chase's surname spitefully, as if it was responsible for every single crappy thing that's ever happened to him.

"Stop telling me what to do!" I shouted, trying to run up the stairs. He was too fast, and grabbed my elbow. I was instantly pulled down, the stairs muffling my desperate screams for help.

* * *

**Review? ;)**


	11. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9  
**

* * *

I had never felt so empty.

I was surrounded by all of my favourite things, watching TV with a tub of ice cream on my lap, yet I still couldn't piece everything together to make me feel whole again.

It had been four whole weeks since the incident on the beach. It had been a painful month, a hell-hole, every single burning emotion that I'd ever feel was packed in those four weeks. I was forbidden to see Chase, Bree, Adam and even _Leo _ever again. Even little geeky Leo Dooley!

I remembered how broken Chase looked, and couldn't help but think, _I did that. _The numerous amount of tears that streamed down his face made me feel so stupid and horrible. If that was any normal scenario, I'd jump into his arms and told him that it was all a joke; that he meant everything to me. He did, he truly did.

But I couldn't do that. If I did, every single Davenport would be put into danger; Even Tasha, sweet, motherly Tasha Davenport would be placed in a terryfying situation that no bionic can avoid. _No, I couldn't do that to them._

I remembered falling asleep in a bloody mess on the floor, spine cracked, leg twisted abnormally. There was so much _pain _that nothing felt real anymore.

My father glared at me through evil, misunderstood eyes, the heat of his body radiating onto mine and the stench of cheap alcohol wafting through my nostrils. "If you disobey my orders, I will personally get my men to storm over to Chase's house and rip him _limb from limb._ And the best part is," he chuckled menacingly. "You get to watch."

So that was that. He really _did _ have his "men" watch over me at school, one of them being Trent's dad, Michael. I felt so disgusted, having them watch my every move. Whenever I got partnered up with Chase for any subject, Trent or one of his football cronies would object and get the teacher to swap or change partners.

To top it all off, my father insisted that I _acted_ happy. Keyword; act. He'd inspect my make-up when I left the house, making sure that my mascara was waterproof in case I shed a single tear. Trent would follow me all day, but he surprisngly never acted like a jerk. He'd be quiet, sometimes he'd carry my books and walk me to class like a gentleman. I didn't know what he was doing that for, but I sure as hell wasn't going to find out.

I talked less and less as the days went by. Barbara, being a therapist and all, declared that I was slowly developing a phobia called Glossophobia. It meant that I had a fear of public speaking, that if I tried to talk, no words would come out. It was almost as if I had lost my voice.

I lost _many_ things. Chase, my voice, my freedom, my life. My emotions. I was back to square one; trying to fight against myself.

My phone would beep every five minutes, and there were only three people I had given my number to. "Dad" didn't know about my phone, yet I never texted the Davenports' back. I didn't want to risk it. If any one of them got hurt because of me, I wouldn't be able to live with myself.

The next day, I went through my morning routine as usual. Trent was waiting outside, and together we made our way to school. Thankfully, there was no communication between us, but the silence wasn't all that comforting either.

"Smile, alright?" Trent said, making me stand straighter. I nodded, looking away. He sighed in approval and pulled me towards our next class, Music.

I didn't mind music. I loved the melodies I'd hear whenever I stepped foot into the classroom. Miss Hayley was the type of teacher who wore neon clothes and spotted jackets, but nobody seemed to mind her. Her happy, carefree attitude distracted others from her crazy fashion sense.

"Alright, class," she chirped, her voice going from normal to extremely high. Trent looked my way and mimicked her, his eyes narrowing. I gave him a small smile in return. "Today we will be learning about Taylor Swift's song, Love Story."

I wanted to bash my head against the table. I wanted to run out, my head held high, but that was an impossible task to do. It didn't help that Chase was in my class, looking at me with careful eyes from across the room.

I knew what Love Story was about. It was a Romeo And Juliet type of song, and that's exactly what I was afraid of. When I was a little girl, I dreamt endlessly about handsome princes fighting with someone else to win me back. But now that I'm actually _living _it, it's a dreaded nightmare that I want so badly to escape.

"Now," she started, eyeing up the class with intense eyes. "I will put you into partners. You are required to take a seat and write down what you think of the song. Search it up on Google if you need to."

_Oh, good. Trent will ask Miss if he can swap with Chase and she'll say yes. I hope. No, I know he will; It's Trent, after all._

But shortly after, I was proven wrong. So very wrong._  
_

"Candice, your partner is Chase."

Trent cleared his throat. "Excuse me, miss, but can I be Candice's partner instead?"

Miss Hayley glared at him. "Sorry, Trent. But this is worth fifty per-cent of your grade and I will not have you distracting Candice." It was true. Trent and I were known for not doing any work in most subjects, but no teacher has ever noticed. Well, except for Miss Hayley.

"But -"

"No buts," she snapped, and handed the lyrics sheet to me. I gave her a greatful smile and walked off to sit at one of the tables.

Chase, instead of sitting opposite, sat right next to me. His hand found his way to mine and before I knew it, we were holding hands like nothings happened.

I sighed, and pulled my hand away from his grasp. I stared gravely at the boring posters of muscisians, trying to ignore his pleading eyes.

He furrowed his eyebrows. "We need to talk, Candice. I won't give up until you tell me why you wanted us to break up. Please? I just want to know."

* * *

**Review please? ;)**


	12. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10  
Hey guys, thank you for reviewing :) I was beginning to lose faith in this story, but your reviews actually made me want to carry on! So, to say Thank You, I've written a really long chapter :)  
**

* * *

I was aware of Trent's cold, hard gaze burning a hole into my punctured soul. I was aware of Miss Hayley watching our little "dramatic lovey dovey" moment. I was aware of Chase's pleading eyes, trying to find a way to connect with mine.

If Trent, Miss Hayley or the rest of the class wasn't here, I'd hug him. Maybe even kiss him; anything to let Chase Davenport know that I needed him more then a balloon needed air.

This boy, right here, was my drug. And I couldn't get enough.

I looked over his shoulder at Trent, who was giving me a warning look. I mouthed a small, "Please?"

Trent hesitated, knowing that if he blabbed about me to his father, then we'd _both _be in for it. He'd be in trouble for not looking after me properly, and I'd be in trouble for communicating with a Davenport. Trent sighed and gave me a sign that meant, "Fine."

I went to open my mouth, but then remembered my condition. _Damn Glossophobia. Damn damn damn damn damn! _Here I was, begging Trent to let me talk to Chase, when I couldn't even give a tiny little squeek myself. I took the sheet and started writing.

_I cant speak, Chase._

Cautiously, I handed it over to him. "What do you mean?"

_I have Glossophobia. It's when I have a fear of public speaking._

Chase sighed but nodded. "Oh, right. That... that sucks," his eyes softened and he took my hand once more. "Please tell me what's happened?"

_I want to, Chase. I really really want to. I want for us to be together again. I want our little hugs and kisses back, I want our time on the beach to restart, but we can't have that anymore. It'll only put you in danger, and I can't risk that._

He stared at the letter, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion. He took his time scanning the page carefully, looking like a child that's just read for the first time. "What -"

The harsh shrill of a bell rang and everybody filed out. Trent automatically ran over to my desk and practically pulled me up, giving Chase a snarky eye roll in the process. I gave him an apologetic look and followed after Trent.

I took a pen and wrote on my hand. _Thank you, Trent. _I showed him the little note and he gave a slight smile. "It's okay. Just don't let your dad or mine know about this, okay?" I nodded obediently as we made our way to our second class, which was thankfully just down the hall.

Nobody whispered about me anymore, but you could tell that they thought nothing of me either. it was because I hung out with Trent. It was still a mystery as to why he became so _nice _all of a sudden (flashback to the lockers about 6 weeks ago).

I took a piece of scrap paper out of my pocket. _Why are you doing this? _I handed it over to Trent and he sighed.

"I want whats right. I got parted from my girlfriend, too," he gave a slight, depressed chuckle. "I loved her so much. She wasn't like the other girls', she was so different." I smiled a little. "But then she bought me over to her house, to meet her parents. Her dad recognised my surname and stated that he had a little rivalry between him and _my _dad when they were in High School." Harsh venom seethed through his teeth, coating his husky voice with a drench of sadness. "I wasn't allowed to see or go near her after that. Eventually we lost contact and I turned into _this, _low-life jerk who pretends no-one can hurt him. I don't want that happening between you and Chase. I mean, he's not a bad guy. I don't want him ending up like me."

To be honest, I was completely surprised. Out of all people, Trent was the one with a similar relationship problem like mine.

_Then why do you bully him? _I wrote.

Trent inhaled. "I guess it's because of jealousy. Whenever I saw you and him together, I'd think about my relationship with Artemis and how I let her go." I was guessing that Artmis was his girlfriend.

I patted his shoulder reassuringly and he smiled. Then he took a deep breath and pretended to put on a bad-boy act, head held high and his chest out. I quietly giggled.

* * *

I had schedualed an appointment with Barbara earlier in the week. She _was _supposed to come only on saturdays, but this was important. I needed her to get me to speak. And this time, she was going to get something _on _that tape recording, instead of a beady silence.

She arrived quickly, stepping into my bedroom with a flustered face. Obviously she had been running, because I texted her that it was an urgent matter. "Alright," she breathed, fanning her red face with her hands. "Is this about the Glossophobia?"

I nodded and she smiled. "Okay, darling. Who do you feel most comfortable talking to?"

This took a while. I stared into space, thinking of all the endless people I had responded to. Barbara waited patiently, looking curiously at the books perched neatly on my desk with interest.

There was Chase, but I didn't talk to him _at all. _ There was Trent, but we communicated through notes. Bree, Adam and Leo weren't available options, I had avoided them since my father told me to.

Then my brain clicked. I knew it instantly. I grabbed a piece of paper and took a shaky breath, remembering how to spell her name. I knew it, but I hadn't ever said it since her funeral. _Caroline Winters. My mom._

Barbara took the note gently from my hand and smiled. "Do you have any photos of her, Candice?"

I nodded and reached over for the old photo album. It was slightly battered and looked _very aged_. It went way back to when grandma and grandpa gave birth to my mom, up until our last visit to Blackpool. Several poster-size photos lay within the middle, carefully folded up for the next person.

Anxiously, I slid out a photo with trembling fingers. Caroline Winters, in a beautiful white wedding gown. She stood proudly next to my father, who had such a beautiful smile on his face that you wouldn't think he was the same man who abused and threatened his daughter.

They held a bouqet of pink posies, red roses and purple primroses in their hands, estatic smiles on their faces. I traced the outline of her wedding gown, and eyed his tux observantly. They looked like a perfect couple, like nothing could ever break their relationship so long as they were alive.

"She's very pretty, your mom." murmured Barbara. "Do you want to say a few things to her?"

It was crazy. The mere thought of speaking to a picture of a person that long since passed away, was crazy. It was mental, yet I didn't refuse to. I whispered so many things to this still picture of my mother, expressing the emotions that I had bottled up for so long.

If she saw me then, she'd give me a huge lecture about how to disobey my dad and follow my heart. I didn't know what my heart wanted; that was the problem. I was torn between my drunkard of a father and sweet, adorable Chase Davenport.

Relief swept over me as I noticed the front door slamming shut, signalling that he was out. Probably to a pub or something, but that was good. It bought me some time to actually think about myself.

We had half an hours session left, but Barbara had to go to another patient. I smiled and wrote a big THANK YOU to her on the paper, and she took it and smiled back, hugging me on her way out.

I stayed on my bed for what seemed like eternity, looking up at the ceiling and having quiet conversations with my mom.

I was about to fall into a deep slumber when the doorbell rang. I sprinted downstairs, knowing that if it was my father and I didn't open the door in time, I'd be done for.

It wasn't my dad.  
It wasn't Trent, Michael or any other "men" that he had watch over me.

It was Tasha Davenport, with a hopeful look on her face.

* * *

**What could this pretty little lady want? ;)  
Review? ;)**


	13. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11  
Oooo, this chapter's a little bit longer then usual (around 2,500 words) . Just a little warning :) xx  
**

* * *

I froze. If this was any other person, like Adam or Chase or Trent, I would have slammed the door in their faces. I didn't feel like talking or writing to any boy today, or any _girl _for that matter. But this was _Tasha Davenport, _the sweetest, funniest woman I had ever met.**  
**

I couldn't possibly slam the door in her face. I had a deep respect for this clumsy weather reporter that I'd feel awful if I so much as pulled a face at her.

"Is your father home, Candice?" she asked, softly. I shook my head, rubbing my arm uncomfortably. Thankfully I was wearing a long-sleeved cardigan that covered the fresh, bloodied lash. Tasha smiled. "May I come in?"

I nodded and opened the door for her. She stepped in wearily, glancing at the broken house. The household itself was as neat as a pin, but the smell of alcohol and dried blood still lingered. The presence of a troubled drunkard still lurked behind every shadow, creating an eery effect.

Adjusting myself, I led Tasha into the living and room and urged her to take a seat. "I guess your wondering why I'm here," she chuckled. I nodded, smiling. "I just want to know what's going on." She said it so gently, treating me with precaution.

_Nothing's going on._ I wrote.

"Honey," she sighed, taking hold of my hand carefully. "Ever since the kids came home from the beach, they've been acting really weird. Like nothing _mattered _to them anymore," I gulped. "I've seen how different everyone's been, including you. Chase seems to have been more affected then Bree or Adam. I just want everything to be normal again, like when you'd come home with Chase and spend the rest of the night watching How It's Made." she let out a small laugh and I found myself giggling too.

"I just want you and Chase to be happy, sweetheart. Bree always tries to make him feel better, but it doesn't work. He only wants you, Candice."

I took a deep breath. There were so many things that I wanted to tell her. I opened my mouth to speak, but closed it again. I tried again and again, failing each time. I couldn't express my broken emotions through dull ink on a piece of notebook paper.

Tears formed in my eyes. Tasha rubbed my back reassuringly, making me want to talk to her even more. I gathered up what was left of my common sense and nervously pictured my mother. I pretended that it was her I was talking to; and surprisingly, it worked.

"I-I don't want them to get hurt. I don't deserve their friendship, I'm not good enough." I croaked.

Tasha smiled kindly. "Hey, listen to me," I glanced up at her. "Your a strong young woman, Candice Winters. You've been through so much. You deserve more then enough happiness, and you certainly don't deserve whatever poor treatment your fathers' been giving you. You may not notice it, Candice, but you've already hurt them."

"W-What?"

"I mean, not exactly _hurt_. But their all heartbroken, you know? Your the only one that understood Adam, and you were Bree's best friend. And Chase..." Tasha pursed her lips and inhaled. "He cares about you more then you think."

"Even If I wanted him back, he wouldn't want me. I've been blanking him for a month." I sniffed, staring down at my shoes.

She gave me a huge hug and I actually found myself hugging back, despite the fact that I had at least one tender rib. "Remember what they say, Candice. If you let something you love go and it comes back, it was meant to be." she was about to head out of the door, but then quickly turned around. "You two were so cute together. Don't let that go to waste."

* * *

I felt like a new person when I woke up the next day. My cheeks were suprisingly flushed and glowing, and my hair was in the right place.

Slowly, I examined myself in the mirror. I looked at my reflection long and hard, trying to suss out where the _old _Candice Winters was. I spent twenty minutes in front of that mirror, and was on the verge of giving up. But when I saw a tiny spark of life in my eyes, I knew that I had to change.

I was tired of everything. Tired of holding back the tears, tired of pretending to be someone I wasn't, tired of keeping quiet, tired of trying to please my bastard of a father. I was tired from wearing black clothes that made me look like a stereotypical emo.

So I changed. Simple as that.

I bolted out of my bedroom, into the upper landing of the house and into my mothers bedroom. It still smelt of her perfume, but it was covered with a terrible scent of alcohol. I saw my dad passed out on the floor and rolled my eyes, quietly walking over to the old dresser and opening the drawer. I pulled out my old make up box; I had stashed it there shortly after I started wearing dark clothes.

I was a very colourful girl back then. There were eye palettes of stranges blues and greens and yellows, some precisely intact, others crumbled and messy. My lipsticks stood proudly on end, each of them at least one colour of the rainbow.

Beaming, I stood in front of the mirror and grinned. I grinned and grinned and grinned; not quite believing that I was about to change again. This was me, this was who I wanted to be. And nobody could change that.

Setting the boxes down, I sighed dreamily and reached for my lipglosses. I applied a normal amount of cherry, and then put on some dark eyeliner. I powdered my cheeks a little and made my eyelashes a little longer with clear mascara.

Then, I hurriedly sprinted to my wardrobe and dug deep. I had locked away all of my beautiful David and Goliath clothes, because it was me and my mom's signature clothes shop.

I slipped on purple skinny jeans and a t-shirt with a cute slogan about pencils. The material hugged my body and actually felt _comfortable_. Still grinning, I pulled my hair up into a loose bun and let some locks frame my face.

It was 8am, and my dad never ussually got up until 9am. Silently, I wrote him a short note about leaving early because of Trent's agenda. I knew that I'd be bombarded with questions short after, but I didn't care. All I needed was to see Chase again.

Of course, I was estatic. I strode with a newly found confidence, my head high and a kind smile gracing my lips. People stared at me, some smiled back. Some raised their eyebrows, but not in an offending way. They were as surprised as I was.

They didn't _say _anything. I was kind of relieved that they just left me, because I honestly did still have glossophobia. I made it into the lunch hall in one piece, and scanned the room for Chase or any of the Davenports.

Shortly after my search, I found them sitting at one of the corner tables, looking as bored as anything. I straightened my tee and took a deep breath, advancing towards them.

However, just as I was about to tap Chase's shoulder, a hand clamped on top of my mouth and pulled me back. I gagged and fell on the floor, the impact of the push affecting me in ways I didn't understand.

I opened my eyes and saw everyone staring at me, gawping with their mouths wide open. I scanned the room for whoever did that, but I didn't have to.

Right in front of me, nostrils flaring, eye's burning with rage, lips pursed in fury, was my dear father. He raised his fist but I ducked, and he hit the the table behind me instead, hissing with craze once his skin came in contact with the hard plastic.

"You bitch!" he yelled, running towards me. It didn't help that the whole cafeteria was staring at us like it was some movie scene. I racked my brain for any moves I could use on him, since I took up break-dancing and they were good skills to use if you wanted to dodge an attack.

He picked up a knife and lashed at my leg, creating an oozing waterfall of lucious blood. I didn't scream or yell, I just widened my eyes and kicked the sharp blade out of his hands with my injured foot. He gave me a hideous, threatening glare and attacked me once more.

Panicking, I picked up a chair and threw it at him. This only made him angrier, his face exploding with a crimson, infuriating wrath. However, I was not about to give up. If I had any choice to die, I'd die a fighter.

Principal Perry ran into the destroyed lunch hall, whining about how much it would cost her to fix it all up again. My dad gave the aged woman the middle finger salute, saying, "Mind your own buisniness, old lady." Of course she gave a dissaproving snort, which resulted in me giving her an apologetic glance. 'Dad' took this as an advantage and pinned me down on the linoleum surface of the floor.

We rolled around fearfully for a while, him punching the crap out of me. I dodged most of the time, but the rest, I wasn't so fortunate. His aims were dead accurate, due to the fact that he took up boxing when he was younger.

I felt like blacking out, but I stood my ground. Bree started yelling at me to run, but I couldn't. My feet were stuck on the cafeteria floors, about to release all of the hate I had hidden for so long. He ran towards me and jumped, his foot cracking three of my ribs. I moaned in pain.

He lunged at me, hands gripping yet another knife, and I knew that I couldn't do anything about it. I was helpless under his power. The whole crowd of people ran out of the hall, screaming 'Abuse' and 'Freak Family'.

Well, that was what I thought.

Something picked dad up and sent him flying across the room. It was Chase, looking viciously scary. "That's no way to treat a lady," he growled. I gulped; this wasn't Chase. It wasn't Adam mimicking his voice, either.

It was Spike.

"As if I'm going to take orders from a _Davenport,_" my father hissed. If only he knew that this wasn't just a Davenport; it was Spike. "What? Your gonna get your billionare tramp of a dad to kill me?"

"I don't have to," Spike snarled, smirking. "I've got them." he pointed to Bree and Adam, who had fierce scowls on their faces.

My dad chuckled, mocking the siblings, oblivious to the fact that they had bionics. "Oh please. What could a group of stupid teenagers do to me?"

Adam took the cafeteria doors off it's hinges and snapped it in half, throwing it towards him. Bree ran in front of my dad just in time and caught it, turning around and smiling smugly.

"You really think I'm scared of you brats? Why do you even care about this worthless piece of trash?" he spat, seizing me by the hair. His grip tightened as Spike snarled louder.

"Let. Her. Go." he yelled in anguish.

"So she can run off and have a happy life, while I'm dead? Or in jail? No, sorry pretty boy," my dad chuckled evily. "If I'm going down, she's going down with me."

Spike hopped on Bree's back and together they sped towards me and my lunatic of a father, knocking him down in the process. Adam ran over and trapped him in a fearsome headlock, laughing as if it was just a game. "Heh, look guys! He's taller but very easy to snap!" he beamed happily. Bree rolled her eyes.

"Are you okay?" Spike asked, wrapping his arms around me. I didn't care if it was Chase or Spike; either one of them saved me - along with the other two - and I was thankful.

"Thanks, Chase. Spike. Whatever." I smiled up at him and he actually smiled back, despite the fact that he was supposed to be an indestructable brute. I reached up and kissed him, ignoring his approving growl.

By the time we pulled away, Bree and Adam had already tied my dad up with rope. I doubled over in pain, remembering my cracked ribs and red-soaked leg.

"I called the police," Bree stated, securing the last of the knot. I nodded, breathing heavilly. Spike walked over and wrapped my arms around his neck, completely oblivious to the fact that I was loosing enough blood.

"Your cute," he winked, deep voice making me gulp in terror. He might have saved me, but he still had complete control. "Innocent, too."

Suddenly, I wasn't so interested in this alter-ego player anymore. Adam walked over and carried me bridal style in his arms - ignoring Spike's angry complaints - and carried me all the way to the nurses office. She was treating a student who had suffered from extreme nausea, her job mainly having to hold a bowl up incase her patient decided to throw up again.

When she saw me broken in Adam's arms, she was so shocked that the bowl nearly tipped from her hands. I gave her a sheepish smile, and so did Adam. The pupil she was patiently curing seemed to have lost all interest in the situation and ambled out of the little room, taking his sick bowl.

"Oh dear god," The nurse breathed, ordering Adam to lay me down gently on the hospital bed. He did so, but broke a few stuff on the way because of his clumsy control over the bionics. Nurse Patterson walked over to me, clasping my hand gently in an attempt to calm me down. "You seem to have spent most of your life in the hospital." she grinned.

"You have no idea." I breathed, forcing a small smile. She dotted a couple of wires on each of my bruised arms and ordered me to stay still - not that I had much of a choice.

"Try to hang on there, darlin'. I've just called the Hospital and an ambulance will be here shortly to pick you up. For now, just try to stay with the world. When you feel like your about to black out, try to keep your eyes open." she advised, smiling once I nodded.

Though I couldn't promise anything.

* * *

**Review? ;)**


	14. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12  
Thanks for reviewing :)  
**

* * *

The hospital was cold and lonely. The soft dripping of the rain outside slightly relaxed my quivering figure, but nothing else helped. The doctors and nurses were too busy tending my broken ribs to give me any painkillers or tablets, leaving me to endure the pain that was about to unfold.

There was an x-ray on the opposite wall, showing all of my injuries. 3 ribs were cracked, my scar was re-opened, I had a deep cut on my knee, my other leg was twisted at an abnormal angle, my wrist was sprained and bruises portruded up and down my arms.

Not a very nice way to start my new "life".

Everyone else had to wait outside. I didn't know whether Chase was still in his alter-ego form, but the anguish pounds on my hospital door signalled that Spike was still awake.

I drowned in angst while the doctors gave me medication and tried to wedge the blade out of my knee. I was so busy fighting that I didn't realise it was still there; oh joy. My clothes were stained a horryfying blood scarlett, and I could feel the nurses having to peel off my jeans just to get to the wound. The feeling of being touched was disgusting, but I needed their help.

After what seemed like hours, they bandaged all of my broken bones and tended my fragile skin. I winced in agony everytime I inhaled or exhaled, the burning sensation of my wounds becoming unbearable by the minute.

"Do you want to see anyone, Miss Winters?" one of the nurses asked, smiling kindly. I couldn't even twitch the corners of my lips up to form a some-what grave grin, so instead I nodded. She understood and walked out of the door, wheeling a cart with her. I could hear the soft trill of Bree's voice, followed by Adam's slightly goofy one. Chase wasn't talking, but when he came in, I could see why.

He was crying.

"Oh, don't, Chase," I whispered. I wanted to wrap my arms around him and wipe his tears away, but it was already impossible for me to raise my head up, let alone move my body. "Don't cry. It's okay. I'm okay, look." I really wasn't; I was the opposite of okay.

"No your not," Chase whimpered, walking closer. He ran a finger along my jawline, tears running down his cheeks.

"Don't cry, please." I begged.

He let out a small chuckle. "I know, I know. I was just so worried about you, Candice."

"You shouldn't have been. See, I'm fine." I reassured him, but my voice was cracked and dry. Chase planted a soft kiss on my lips, his eyes never leaving mine.

"Is my dad okay?" I croaked. His eyes widened with shock.

"Okay?! You should be asking if he's dead! That bastard hurt you!" he yelled, but not at me. He was aiming his anger and hate towards my father, who was probably getting questioned in rehab or jail.

"I know he did, Chase. And trust me, I want him in jail more then anything," I let out a heavy sigh. "But it's no use holding a grudge over my own dad. I'm sure you'd feel the same about Donald."

Chase stared at me for a while, racking his brain for an appropriate reaction. Eventually he nodded and gave me another kiss, before the nurse kindly told him to get out. "Try and stay alive?" he joked, but there was a serious edge to his voice. I smiled and nodded.

Bree and Adam came too, seperately of course. Bree was buzzing with excitement, either that I was alive or that I had the courage to fight my dad off. She asked me basic questions, like how I was coping and if I had amnesia. I answered all of her questions and she gave me a hug, careful not to harm any more of my ribs or bruises.

Then Adam walked in, carrying a big fluffy bear. How he got it, I'll never know. He set it down carefully beside me and grinned. "How ya holdin' up, kiddo?"

"Not very well." I answered, and he sighed in response.

"Don't worry Candice, he's gone and your safe." Adam smiled. I smiled back and we had a normal conversation after that, talking about how many bananas he can fit into his mouth. The three siblings made me feel better, and their company filled an empty space in my heart that I had been trying to mend for so long.

* * *

I was released from the hospital eight weeks later, but I still had to take care and a small limp was noticable. Chase was with me every step of the way, making me feel safe and generally comforted.

The house was sold since my father was in jail and I never wanted to step foot in it ever again. I did retrieve my mothers photo album, and my new clothes and make up. I was lost and didn't know where I was going to go, since my mothers side of the family lived in England and my dads family probably hated me for putting him in jail. Either way, I had nowhere else to go.

It was a monday morning and people kept staring at me, much worse then before when they thought I was an Avox. Their piercing eyes sent numerous shivers down my spine, unnerving me. Snobby girls would walk up and mock me about my "Freakish Family", but Bree would always hiss at them and glare like there was no tommorow. I found myself growing fond of the 3 Davenport siblings, but of course, I'd never tell them that. I showed my emotions through actions, not words.

Tasha had informed me that I could stay at their house for as long as I wanted, which, of course, made me estatic. I agreed meekly and Chase helped me move in, sometimes coming into my room if I woke up screaming in the middle of the night because of my nightmares. I'd tell him everything, every single little detail. He'd listen and stroke my hair, assuring me that it wasn't real.

But, just when I thought things were looking up for me, I was proven wrong.

Terribly, terribly wrong.

* * *

**Review? ;)**


	15. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13  
Thanks for reviewing :)  
**

* * *

I stared gravely out of the window, deep in thought. Clouds littered the sky and covered the blue horizon, giving it an almost muggy effect. It was raining, and I felt myself growing bored every single time a rain drop fell on the window.

Trees and vines rustled as the crisp breeze tangled themselves through the roots, creating a soft, wristling melody in the process. I had never felt so 'at ease' before; maybe because I had never come here alone.

Sighing, I grit my teeth together, willing myself not to explode or have a fit. Chase wasn't the same person anymore; but I'd never admit it. Either way, he was a total stranger to me now that I couldn't remember all the times we shared. They were all just faded memories, all tucked away into the back of my brain.

_Maybe it had something to do with his bionics, or maybe he was just having a hard time coping._

Well, that's what I thought. Everything fell apart just 6 weeks after I moved in. It crushed my heart, chewed it up and ran it over, leaving my chest empty and hollow.

It was a normal Saturday, and I had just visited Barbara at the Therapy Clinic. I didn't want her coming over to my new house, since Eddie (The creepy touch-screen computer animation) didn't give anyone their privacy. She was slowly helping me overcome my Glossophobia, and sometimes she'd bring in people for me to talk to. Overall, she was acting more like a motherly figure instead of a normal therapist.

Bree had schedualed a sleepover with me and her other two friends - Caitlin and Darcey. Everything had to "seem" normal; Eddie was forced to stay quiet, Mr Davenport had to pretend to be a Business man, and the Lab had to be hidden behind planks of wood. I obliged and went home 30 minutes earlier to help her set up; but I wish I hadn't.

Once I stepped in through the front door, I automatically knew that something was wrong. Tasha wasn't cuddling on the sofa like she always did when it was a Saturday Afternoon, and Mr Davenport wasn't clattering about in the kitchen like he normally did. Eddie was eerily quiet, a look of guilt plastered across his computerised face.

"Eddie?" I said meekly. "Where is everyone?"

"Look upstairs, sweetheart. But please, shield your eyes."

I didn't know what he was talking about, until I went upstairs. Everyone was gathered outside of Chase's bedroom, eyes wide, mouths agape. I pushed through all of the gobsmacked people and dodged Adam's failed attempt for a distraction, leaving him looking hopeless and hesitant.

Eddie was right; I _should _have shielded my eyes. I should have ran away when I had the chance, I should have taken Adam's silent advice. But no, my stubbornness got the best of me and I forced myself to look into his messed up bedroom.

Chase's clothes littered the floor, but they weren't alone. A girl's bra and t-shirt was mingled with his own sweatshirt and shorts, and I could feel myself growing weak at the knees.

Due to my lack of patience (and understanding) I wrenched the door open, trying to hold the tears back. It worked, but instead of hurt and sadness, I felt anger and pain. I wanted to slap him, yell at him, give him all the pain I felt. But I couldn't do it; he already gave me so much, he already gave me happiness. Now it was someone elses turn.

Who was I kidding, actually thinking that Chase would be in love with _me, _Candice Winters? Who was I to think about our Happily Ever After? People like me never had any "Happy Endings". People like me were forever cursed with dreadful nights.

"Candice..." Chase said softly, standing up. He quickly covered himself, blushing a deep crimson. But I could care less about his darned naked figure; my heart was pounding, my palms were sweating, my head felt light and dizzy. "It's not what it looks like..."

"Not what it looks like?" I chuckled sarcastically, tears sourrounding the sides of my eyelids. He laid a hand on my shoulder but I flinched away at his touch. "I'm not stupid Chase. I know exactly what it looks like." And with that, I shoved through the crowd of people anxiously watching us, and ran outside of the house.

I carried on running. I didn't stop when I heard them calling my name, I didn't stop when Bree tried to slow me down, I didn't even stop when there were busy cars beeping their horns at me. I just kept running; I dashed through dark allys, I bolted past curious strangers. I even ignored the cry of desperation coming from Eddie; Eddie, the obnoxious animation that had a soft spot for me, and only me.

I had no idea where I was going, and I sure as hell wasn't going back. Everything was falling apart right before my very eyes, and I couldn't get a grasp of what was real and what was fake. Reality was warped and twisted, and heartbreak was a wicked addition.

I should have never gotten too attatched with him. Attatchments lead to expectations and expectations just lead to dissapointments. But this wasn't just a normal "Dissapointment". It was a heartbreak; a cruel way of reminding us that not everyone can live peaceful lives. Some are fortunate enough, others aren't.

After hours of pointless navigation, I slumped against a tree and soon realized that I was in the middle of a big meadow. Exquisite types of flowers were scattered everywhere, as far as the eye could see. It was a full moon; making the meadow seem eery and frightening. But instead of walking away, I ran into the middle and collapsed. I felt like tearing my hair out. I felt like yanking the carefully grown grass from the earth, I felt like showing all my hatred by pulling the flowers from their roots.

As I said before; we were like Romeo and Juliet. Except Romeo was alive and well, whilst Juliet wanted to die.

* * *

**Hmm, should I end it there for all you readers and start a sequel? Or should I update tommorow and inform you on how Chase is doing? Oh, questions, questions :)**


	16. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14  
Awkay, So I've been asked why Chase has suddenly turned out to be the bad guy :D One word; TWIST. It adds a twist to the story, and don't worry, if you've read the Prologue, you'll know that they'll end up together... somehow ;) Also bear in mind that Candice said that their relationship wasn't perfect :D**

* * *

David Winters stood emotionlessly in the middle of his cell, his heart burning with hatred for his daughter. It was cold, a bitter breeze swayed in and out of the jail he was imprisoned in. There was no escaping; he did the crime, now he'll do the time. That was fair.

Only David didn't _want _to play fair. He knew how to cheat, he knew how to twist peoples minds up. If it was illegal, he'd do it without questioning, he wouldn't mind the consequence.

Howls from fellow cell-mates lingered in the air around David, making him grit his teeth with absoloute fury. He was never one to mess with; even the Gaurds knew that. His temper matched his fiery red hair, making him look like Satan himself. David had always wondered why Candice didn't have scarlett locks like himself, but it was obviously because of her mother.

The woman _he_ killed.

Yes, he killed her. He relished her screams, he wanted to dance in the puddle of blood that gushed out from her skull. He wanted to laugh at the way she crawled helplessly on the floor, at the way she begged for mercy. He loved it, loved it all.

But oh no, if you thought that he'd stop there, you're wrong. David wanted more then just the death of Caroline Winters. He wanted his 'daughter' to suffer; he wanted her to feel as much pain as she could endure. He never told her that he himself was responsible for her beloved mothers deathbed. He'd never find the common sense to admit that he was amenable for Candice's Glossophobia.

No. David Winters wanted _more _then that.

Emotionally and physically, Candice would break soon enough. Little cracks and dents were already evident in her life, and one more hit would send her spiralling towards a point where she couldn't take it anymore. She'd lash out eventually, her pride and dignity would soon dissappear.

But there was one thing stopping David from accomplishing his task - well, actually, three things. A trio that made Candice _happy. _Something David vowed never to let her become ever again. He did everything humanly possible, but he noticed one thing about the Davenports; They weren't just human.

And that little brat, oh, what was his name again? _Chase Davenport. _That bastard that ruined all of Davids plans, right from the very beginning. He knew that something was wrong with Candice Winters, and he made a bad mistake in helping.

So David snapped. He hurt Candice, attempted to hurt the Davenport siblings, and where was he now? Jail. Prison. Possibly in the near by future, a mental asylum.

But who was he to care? Despite being locked up in a cold, bleak cell, David still had a few tricks up his sleeve. And he'd be sure, no matter what, that he had used every single one of them. Including Chase's nutty split personality; that was one good advantage.

He had schedualed a little meeting his good friend Michael, the father of Trent Johnson. Michael had a niece about Chase's age, a beautiful one at that. Long blonde hair, big blue eyes, a light freckled face. Her name? Darcey Johnson. Known all around for being a heart breaker, or a troublesome female with negative potential.

David had paid her a generous amount of money to attend the sleepover with Bree Davenport and Caitlin Smith, who were oblivious to what Darcey's intentions were. She'd meet Chase, lead him on, make him angry, and have Spike pop her cherry right in front of Candice Winter's eyes.

And, being told that Candice had been missing for more then a week, David knew that his plan had not gone wrong.

* * *

I've always been a city girl. I've always worn skinny jeans and hoodies, I've always felt like I could mingle with the thin crowd up ahead. But, judging by the incredible amount of people wearing dresses and floral skirts, I found I was way off.

Not many people lived on the outskirts of California. Maybe because nobody really wanted to escape the "City Life". Except for me, of course.

I walked up some pathways, taking in my unfamiliar surroundings. Old fashioned houses and huge mansions lived half a mile away from each other; making it all the more difficult to find the house I needed the most. When I did find it, a sickening feeling in my gut brewed up an obnoxious feeling of regret and doubt.

Taking a deep breath, I knocked on the door timidly. I heard clatters and clanks within the household, and small mutters of, "Hold up, I'm coming."

After a few seconds of waiting, the door flung open and revealed a 25 year old woman with a tight, stern face. I thought that she'd have forgotten me by now; but turns out she hadn't. "Candice? Is that you?" she asked, her face filled with worry and glee. "Oh Candice!"

Her arms slinked around my neck and pulled me close, knocking the air out of me. I hugged her back, tears spilling out of my eyes. "Aunt Capri." I croaked, savouring the moment.

"Oh dear, come in, come in!" she exclaimed, leading me into her living room. Books and notepads filled each and every corner, and vases filled with flowers covered the windowsill. "Are you okay? Did you bring your parents here with you too? Oh baby girl, I haven't seen you in seven years!"

Aunt Capri was my mother's best friend, and I hadn't visited her in ages, due to my lack of precise navigation. She hadn't heard about my mothers death, or how my father turned to alcohol and was currently living in jail. She wasn't blood related to us, just used to be really close.

I started to tell her everything that had happened, but I left the part about Chase cheating out. I didn't want her feeling sorry for me, I just wanted to inform her about some parts of my life. "Oh sweetheart. So, you really have no place to go?" she asked me, eyes heavy with sympathy. I shook my head no. "Well, who am I to leave you all alone? You can stay here for as long as you like - I have a spare bedroom upstairs, and Tom has a job at the cafe - maybe you'd like to work there some time? you know, if your low on cash?" she said. I smiled once more and gave her another hug. After that I rushed upstairs.

Then the obvious dawned on me. _I left my things with the Davenports! Gahh, Candice! _I mentally slapped myself, thinking about how someone could be so stupid. I'd have to retrieve it somehow though; only how was I supposed to do that, exactly?

I flopped down on the bed and sighed, knuckling my eyes until I fell into a deep slumber.

And, of course, nightmares invaded my thoughts once again.

* * *

**Heh, a bit of a filler chapter :)**  
**Review? ;)**


	17. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15  
Thank you guys for your support :) and sorry that I didn't update yesterday (**

* * *

Waking up with a hangover is painful. Waking up on a weekend at 7am is tolerable. But waking up knowing that the most important person in your life has gone means war; or worse, sorrow.

I knuckled my eyes in frustration, trying to shake the feeling of fatigue from my eyelids. Sun light seeps through the curtains and invades my newly found bedroom, lighting every single corner with a beautiful yellow ray. I had never noticed it before - maybe because of all my negative thoughts about life - but the world truly is magnificent. Despite the hate, wars and uncivilised people, there will always be some kind of upside to everything.

The door opened and revealed an exhausted looking Tom Levitt, hair tussled and messy. Last I'd seen him, we were just eight year olds with goofy teeth and big ambitions. Now, he had spiky black hair that stood on its ends and a crooked yet attractive smile that sent shivers down my spine. "Oi, I haven't seen you in a while." he grinned, a thick australian accent rolling off his tongue. I smiled weakly.

"I know." Was all I managed to get out. Talking to Tom Levitt was like talking to a complete stranger, due to our long years that lacked of communication. Tom and I were best friends; forever running around the apple trees that surrounded a nearby orchid. Songs were sung, words were exchanged (sometimes along with the occasional hug) but whatever Tom and I had, was nothing compared to the connection I shared with Chase.

I felt a strange, pang in my chest yet again. Stop it, Candice. He cheated. You saw. It's done. It's over with.

But what was going to happen now? I had skipped school for two whole weeks, and it was a Sunday; I'd have to face Chase soon enough. We were partners for music, we were scheduled to play volleyball together to represent our school. I couldn't keep avoiding him forever, no matter how hard I tried.

Tom walked over and helped me up, smirking once I was up and on my feet. "Now, Its my shift at the Bright Puck and I don't wanna walk there alone. So, ya comin' or not?" I stared at him, examining his face. I found a general spark of trust and happiness in his eyes, something I never encountered often with people other then the Davenports.

So I obliged. I trailed after him all the way to the Bright Puck, which was only a couple of blocks away. The tiny neighbourhood seemed isolated, but what more could you expect at 8am in the morning?

As we made our way past grand houses and marvellous terraces, I couldn't help but feel slightly sick. However, I was determined not to let my memories get the better of me.

Tom pushed open the cafe door, chuckling once he saw how deserted it was. Together we walked over to the counter, and I saw a mop of sleek black hair peeking from behind it, indicating that someone other then Tom worked in Bright Puck. "Dizzy?" he bellowed, much louder then needed. I winced but couldn't find the courage to ruin his idea of fun.

'Dizzy' jumped up from her hiding spot, apron on, face flushed an intimidating red. If it wasn't for her bright smile and glimmering eyes, I'd have been frightened. "Hey, babes. Name's Dakota-Izabelle Willows. Call me Dizzy for short." she grinned and stuck out a hand for me to shake. I took it gladly.

Thankfully, I was allowed to help. A few customers came in, but that was about all really; not many people took notice of Bright Puck. Before I knew it, it was an hour before closing time and the door opened, hushed voices mingling with the cake scented air. I quickly turned around, about to go over to Dizzy to tell her that there were more customers; until I heard who it was.

"What do we do guys? I'm worried!"

"You messed up! Honestly, she was the only real friend I had!"

"Hey hey, no fighting. Davenport sent us here to clear our minds, not to argue about Candice."

I was frozen with fear, my teeth gritted with harsh regret. My heart felt like it would burst out of my chest, but still I wouldn't budge. I was stuck of the cold linoleum floor, listening to the three siblings I had tried to avoid bickering. Tom walked past and flicked my head lightly, earning a confused groan in response. "Heh, you kinda have that dazed look in ya eye. Well then, you go sit down at a booth. I'll deal with these."

Nodding, I hurriedly scurried away from the scene and made my way towards one of the farther back seats, head held low in some sort of shame. Tom gave me a look of encouragement and started to ask the three bionics what they wanted, which eased my mind for a bit. I breathed a sigh of relief and sinked further down into my chair, hating the silence that followed after every conversation.

Hesitantly, I reached for my earphones and started listening quietly to music. The sound was at its lowest, but this way I managed to maintain the stance of invisibility. I pulled my hoodie up and bowed my head, ignoring the curious stares from people passing the cafe. They were all the least of my troubles.

"Adam!" someone shrieked. I swiftly turned around, making sure that part of my face was covered by my hair. Bree was jumping and down, iced coffee dripping off her jacket and landing on her pink boots. Adam gave her a sheepish smile.

Dizzy came out with a mop, her signature smile plastered across her face once more. "Oh dear," she murmured, mopping the mess up. Bree apologised non stop, trying to help her by cleaning the floor with scraps of tissue. I frantically ran to the counter, face palming myself when Chase was there, talking to Tom with an exasperated face. I slowly backed away, careful not to get noticed, but when did things ever work out for me?

* * *

**Review? ;)**


	18. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

* * *

Candice Winters never came home that night.

It was a Sunday afternon, and the young girl had just spent six hours busting tables and taking orders in the infamous cafe known as The Bright Puck. There, three unknown teenagers came in, and all hell broke loose. The last Tom saw of Candice was her fleeing past annoyed looking strangers and clueless toddlers. It had been a mystery as to why the girl had felt the need to run away, but he decided not to follow her and carried on his conversation with his new friend, Chase Davenport.

That night Tom came home to an empty house. The TV wasn't on, the kettle wasn't boiling, the showers were dry. Normally, whenever he came home from work, he'd hear Candice's clumsy banter upstairs or her fluffy slippers slapping the wooden floor. But no; this time, everything was so quiet that the hum of the next door neighbours washing machine could be heard.

Cautious, Tom took a few steps and locked the door. He called her name, expecting a groan or moan in return. Except of a human reply, he was greeted with an eery silence. He could feel his panic rise, his breathing hitch. He could sense something was wrong, in fact, he knew something was wrong.

He thought back to the times when she'd get lost in the orchard they always used to play in. Whenever he found her, she'd be quivering and unstable for hours afterwards.

Despite the friendly atmosphere and polite neighbours, the outskirts of California were far too dangerous for a city girl like Candice. One false move would end her up into a ruthless drug-dealing gang, or worse, a strip club. The last thing Tom needed was his best friend getting involved in a flirtatious situation like that.

But, of course, the income was much, _much _worse.

* * *

Candice woke up to a headache worthy of a million punches. Her body felt numb, as if dipped into a pool of ice. Her fingers and limbs felt like wood, not really useful for anything since the least they could do was cause a stern pain. She tried opening her eyes, but a bright light interrupted her steady stare, leaving her eyelids shut and her body weak.

Her hearing senses could pick up absoloute silence, and she could only piece together one thing; _Car crash._

Now, being only a girl of fourteen, Candice knew that her body was too feeble and fickle to cope with car crashes. The last thing she remembered was running, running away from the Bright Puck. She ran a little too heartily, colliding with a runaway car in the process. The impact of the blow was so strong that she found herself breaking yet many more of her bones, making her feel like jelly itself.

She moaned in pain as she felt her neck click, which was, thankfully, still intact. Taking a deep breath, Candice hoisted herself up without opening her eyes, and felt around for some sign of human communication. When all she felt was the cold metal of a bar, her eyes started to fill with tears.

Then, without warning, something warm embraced her. Something she had longed for so long, something she needed yet wouldn't admit. She clung onto the person tightly, as if never planning to let go.

She didn't know who it was, but she wasn't about to ask either. The most important thing to her at that moment was the delicious feeling of company. The feeling of somebody actually wanting to comfort her made her swollen heart soar.

"Your gonna be okay, baby."

Her eyes shot open, completely ignoring the bright white light threatening to blind her hazel orbs. She pushed the person away with a heavy force, feeling truly played and stupid. Candice knew exactly who it was, and she wasn't about to forgive them anytime soon.

Hurt, Chase gave her an apologetic look. He tried reaching for her once more, but she only flinched at the sight of his touch. The touch she had learnt to love, then learnt to forgive and hate.

"Don't do this, Candice," he whispered.

"Get away from me!" she hissed, curling up into a ball and sitting as far away from Chase as she could manage.

"I'm sorry, I really am. I didn't know what I was doing. I was Spike. I-I..."

"No," Candice said quietly, her hands curling up into tight fists. Her knuckles turned a terrible pale white, matching her paper-like skin colour. "It's happening again,"

"What's happening?"

"This," she whispered darkly. "Have you ever wondered why I never talked? Have you ever wondered why I wore dark clothes? Have you ever wondered why it took me so long to start trusting anyone else?"

"Of course I do," Chase said softly. "Because of your mom."

"No!" she yelled. "That's not it! I thought you knew the real reason, Chase, but you didn't! You never did! I thought you did, I trusted you, but you played me!"

He furrowed his eyebrows in confusion, staring at the girl with a warm yet stern face. "What do you -"

"It broke my heart, Chase," Candice said. Her voice was quiet and low, making her sound darker then she portrayed herself to be. "When she died, a part of my heart went with her. Then you came along," she loosened her knuckles and tightened her eyelids. "You fixed it up. You collected all the pieces, you stuck them together," She gulped. "But you broke it again. You didn't just break a part of me, you broke it all."

For once in his life, Chase Davenport was speechless. The whole scenario seemed unfamiliar to him, since nobody had ever said anything like that to himself. But Candice wasn't just _anybody. _She was the girl he bumped into; she was the girl he fell for, she was the girl who stayed in his mind all day without question.

"I need you to leave me alone, Chase. I need you out of my life."

* * *

**Sorry guys, but I must leave you all there :)  
Review? ;)**


	19. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

* * *

_"Okay," Chase croaked, standing up. I could see the hurt in his eyes, but managed to maintain the steady glare in my own. "If that's what you want. I'll leave you alone..." he turned towards the door and spun around, tears in his eyes. "Just remember that I'm sorry... and I love you."  
_

_And with that, he walked out of the door, also seeming to have walked out of my life forever. There was nothing I could do to stop him; I was so angry, so annoyed. I couldn't find the right words, let alone do the appropriate thing._

_So, in the end, I just whispered quietly to myself, hoping nobody would hear it.  
"I love you too, Chase Davenport."  
_

I woke up, heart pounding heavily. It had seemed so realistic; felt so real. It was as if I was back in the hospital, Chase and I busy with our own conversation._  
_

But no.

It had been five months since the hospital incident; five months of nothing but pain, anguish and fear. Everytime I saw them walk down the street I'd duck my head and stare at the ground, my stomach doing somersaults. There was no possible way for me to recover; I felt like I would forever be suck in the past, watching as the world went by.

As I neared the school, I saw Trent leaning against his bike, waiting for me. I had managed to build a steady friendship with him, so long as he never bought up anything about the Davenports.

"There she is," he laughed, watching as I ran up to him, bouncing on each step. He slung an arm carelessly around my shoulders, chuckling quietly to himself. Moments like these I felt comfortable, not only with myself, but with Trent too.

"So what do you have first?" I asked him, taking my timetable out. It was the last week of being a Senior in Mission Creek High, and the whole school was hellbent in transforming the building into a Teenage Paradise. And by that, I mean non-alcoholic drinks that taste like booze and bouncey castles in every hallway.

Our timetables were rigged with different activities for every hour, due to the lack of organisation skills Perry had. I was hoping that Trent and I would have all our lessons together, since I never really talked to anyone else aside from him now. "French." he grimaced, pulling a face. I laughed.

"Your lucky, I have Cotillion." I frowned at the thought of spending one hour learning how to waltz, but then quickly replaced it with a smile when I noticed a few curious kids looking my way. Nearly everyone had gotten used to my recent mood changes, but others still thought it weird and strange.

"Alright. I'll wait for you after, okay?" he asked, grinning. I nodded and together we walked towards my Cotillion class. Once there, he waved goodbye and walked off, hoping to catch up with some of his mates on the way.

The classroom, I figured, looked completely different to what it was before. Sophmores to Seniors rushed around, squirting each other with water guns. What creeped me out the most was that every single student was dressed in some formal ensemble; the boys wore fancy looking suits and the girls wore long gowns with frills embedding the bottom.

"Oh dear! Your not in your Cotillion kit!" Mrs Gordon shrieked, rushing over to the pegs. She pulled out a frilly purple knee-length dress and black heels. I raised an eyebrow, but decided not to ask her any questions. Mrs Gordon led me to the girls restroom and told me to get changed, getting a terrified expression in exchange.

"You want me..." I held up the dress. "To get changed into _this_?!"

"Oh hush, you say it like it's a bad thing!" she laughed.

"Because it is a bad thing!"

"Nonsense. Now, go and get dressed. Be sure to be back for the Final Dance, I'll be pairing everyone up with a dance partner." she squeaked, before exiting the room with a mighty flourish. I groaned and slipped into one of the cubicles, praying to god that the dress was either too big or too small.

Much to my dismay, the dress fit me perfectly. The heels were a right fit, too, making it easier to walk. I strutted up and down the restroom a couple of times, finishing with a catwalk smile and grin. I laughed heartily to myself before walking out and making my way back into the classroom.

Addie, one of the few people who I actually liked, ran up to me and gave me a hug. She had just moved to California a few months ago, and ever since then we had become "Hell Buddies". Hell, meaning school. "Oh wow! Just look at you!" she laughed, her southern accent thick in the air.

Addie and I danced for a bit, making sure that our robot moves were precise and accurate. She was a hyper girl who never really went down without a fight, and her deep love for panda's and strawberries sometimes puzzled me, but I couldn't really tolerate anyone else besides her and Trent.

"Hey darl," she said. "There's this boy I kinda like."

I gave her an amused look. "And who may that lucky fellow be?"

"I don't know!" she groaned, losing all interest in dancing. "He's good looking, though! Has brown hair, brown eyes, and oh my god, don't even get me started on those lips..." I laughed and listened to her babble on about this new mystery guy she was suddenly head over heels with, my eyes never leaving the entrance.

Then, I was pulled back and the sound of Addisons scream rang through my ears. "Oh look! There he is!" I looked into the direction she was pointing and my eyes grew ten sizes.

The boy, who had brown hair and eyes, lucious lips and a cheeky smile, was none other then Chase Davenport.

* * *

**Review? ;)**

**P.S, Okay, if you feel like you've just been left clueless on a cliffhanger, just read the last sentence of Candice's dream and remember Chase's super Bionic Hearing :)  
**


	20. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

* * *

I nudged Addie and excused myself, doing whatever it took to get out of Chase's sight. Luckily he was talking to Adam, so he didn't notice me slip past them. A chill ran through my spine and I found myself standing on the steps of Mission Creek, hugging my body protectively.

I closed my eyes and thought quietly to myself. Five months. Five months of torture, five months of pretending to be okay when I was anything but. I tried to take cautious steps, acting as if parts of my life were mines ready to explode. I had tripped and fell all too carelessly, landing in a remorseful situation like this.

If I had actually thought about getting my life back together, I would have never met Chase. I would have signed up for Cheerleading, would have had Trent for an all-star boyfriend. I would have been able to help my father overcome his drinking habits, I would have gotten the chance to build a small yet gaurded friendship with Bree Davenport. Unfortunately, life wasn't that easy.

Still quivering, I sat down on the steps and closed my eyes. I remembered her funeral; I remembered it all too well. The people, the petrifying breeze that wafted in and out of the room.

_"I'm so sorry, Candice. I knew how close you and your mother were." I clung onto Mr Jenkins. I cried into his shirt. I watched as he and his wife released pink baloons into the grey sky. Everyone came to the funeral; everyone mourned. Nobody talked, but everyone shed at least one tear. I watched her lifeless body, watched as her mouth didn't even twitch to form a some-what grave smile. I thought about my father at home, about how he was coping. He didn't come to the funeral. Nobody in his side of the family bothered to show up. _

_All too soon the speeches were given. So many people talked about her bubbly personality, chatted about her lovely voice and facial features. All the while I cried, my eyes never leaving the picture of her sitting on top of the podium. I couldn't pretend that she was still there, I couldn't even pretend that her presence still lingered. She was dead to the world, forever remembered as Caroline Winters; Beloved Mother and Wife.  
_

I spread my legs out in front of me, twirling the dress lace around my finger. Normal people would just try to move on with their life, would stop grieving over the death of a loved one. But it was different for me. Nobody knew how I really felt; not even Chase, who was supposed to be the smartest person on earth._  
_

The bell rang, signalling the end of first period. I scrambled to my feet and made my way inside, trying to navigate my way through the corridors. I reached the classroom I was looking for and quickly got dressed into my usual clothes.

As promised, Trent was waiting for me outside. I laughed at his lazy slump and flicked his forehead. "C'mon. What's your next lesson?"

"Physical education," I groaned. "This should be fun."

And, of course, I was right. P.E consisted of a rock climbing wall, the Spiral Smackdown stage, and long entrails of rope dangling from poles attatched to the school roof. Everything was placed outside, due to the fact that the Rock Climbing wall was taller then the school itself. I laughed and so did Trent. Together we got changed into our P.E kits and headed for the wall. We attatched our harnesses and starting making our way up, me slipping most of the time and Trent having to steady me.

It was fun; Addie joined us later on, saying that staring at Chase was far too boring. She didn't know what went down with me and him, and I decided that it was best if I didn't tell her. She was so in love with him that it was impossible to ruin her girly daydreams.

After half an hour of struggling, I finally reached the top. I gave a big cheer of excitement and pulled Addison up. The view from the top of the wall was amazing, I could see fields and meadows stretching out as far as the eye could see.

"Oi," Trent said, nudging me slightly. "Ready to jump down?"

It wasn't exactly necessary to jump down from the wall, but we all decided to do it anyway. Addie, Trent and I linked hands and all together we spiralled towards the ground, laughing. During the fall I let go of their hands and gave gravity a chance, feeling like a bird that was just about to fly for the first time.

I gripped my harness and opened my eyes, seeing that the ground was only a short distance away from me. I waited for the rope of the harness to steady me onto the ground, but it never came.

Instead I felt myself cradled in somebodys arms, my stomach and legs tingling with a numb excitement. I looked up and gasped, staring into cocoa brown eyes that made my heart melt.

"Chase," I croaked. He set me down and pointed upwards.

"The rope broke while you were falling. Didn't wanna see you hurt. Again." he gave me a wry smile, but I turned around and started undoing my harness without even giving him a second glance.

"You didn't need to do that." I whispered. "I would have been fine."

Chase gave a slight snort of dissaproval. "You've already broken nearly every bone in your body, except for your neck. Wouldn't want that to break, now would we?"

"I wouldn't _care _if my neck broke!" I snapped, eyes glazing over with fierce fury. "I don't care about my neck, arms or legs. There's something in me that's already broken that can't be fixed again."

His eyes softened. His shoulders slumped. But I couldn't really care less.

* * *

**Review? :)  
****Ooft, and I just played Uncharted 3 and Billy Unger's voice is just amazing! :D  
...Right? :D  
**


	21. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19  
I'd like to say thank you to MyBabysittersAVampiraholic because she's been through the story with me since the very beginning :) And I'd like to thank each and every one of you for reviewing, favouriting and liking this story! :)  
**

* * *

Darcey Johnson smirked evily to herself, watching as her uncle and David Winters talked. She had been forced to listen in on their stupid conversations about Candice, and so far, she wasn't liking it. Their low, husky voices annoyed the crap out of the teen, and she'd much rather be at home watching TV.

There were times in Darcey's life when she'd feel sorry for other people around her. And this time, it was no different. She did what she had to do, but now she was going to fix it. Her actions caused consequences; not for her, but for Candice. And the mere thought of the poor girl slowly _dieing_ inside made Darcey want to tear out her own hair.

She didn't know why she followed through with the plan. Anyone in their right minds could see that Candice and Chase made a great couple, wthether their parents approved or not.

So, without a second thought, Darcey Johnson was officially on a mission to fix Candice's broken heart. She was still clueless as to how she was going to do it, but there was always a slight chance that her cousin would come through to her just this once.

But oh no, she wasn't just doing it all for Candice. Whilst talking to Chase, she had immediately fallen head over heels for the boy with bionics. She found herself spiralling towards a strange satisfaction; but there could only be one person who Chase would truly love. And as far as Darcey was concerned, it was definately going to be Candice Winters.

She glanced at David. A green vein throbbed in his forehead, his eyes showing lack of comfort and sane. It was the worst image of a fully grown man she had ever seen. He looked so ruthless, so vile, so undesirable. The blood that coursed through his veins was cold and nasty, chilling his victims to the bone.

Darcey secretly hated the man. She thought that people like him should be restricted, should never be allowed out without some special permission. Men like David simply disgusted her.

But oh, the delicious thought of Candice finding out about David's unwise plan made Darcey grin. Everyone, except for Mr Winters, would finally have the chance to live peacefully. They'd get the things they deserved, they'd get to be with whoever.

She took out her phone and held it underneath the table, recording the whole of their conversation without the threat of getting noticed.

* * *

Candice slammed her locker door shut, attracting a few stares from other students. She didn't care for any of them, but flashed a small smile at the ones who were curious as to why she was so jumpy. The last thing she needed was a dented locker and the reputation of a nut job; not that she didn't have it already.

Monday had gone by quick enough. She didn't get much hassle from Chase, but he'd give her an apologetic glance at times.

But today was Tuesday. Only three more days to go until Summer Vacation, when she'll finally get the chance to relax.

She checked her timetable and groaned when she saw that her first activity involved group work. Needless to say, Candice wasn't much of a co-operative team member.

"Winters!" Trent shouted, ignoring the dirty looks being thrown his way. He walked up to Candice and slung an arm around her shoulder, steering her to their first lesson. "Guess what Darcey just sent me!"

"Darcey?"

"Darcey Johnson. Y'know, the girl who Chase..." Candice raised an eyebrow, willing him not to go on. "Nevermind. She had something to do with the cheating though."

Candice tried to stop the memories from floating back into her mind, but it was no use. The slight mention of Chase's name made her head go haywire.

"Then I don't want to hear about it." she spat, remembering their recent pact of not mentioning anything about the Davenport siblings. She gave him a death glare, but he insisted on carrying on.

"No, shut up, let me speak," Trent laughed. "Okay, so she gave me this recording of my dad and yours talking about stuff. It got a little boring in the beginning so I fast forwarded," he hit some buttons on his phone and turned it to the highest volume it could muster. "Listen to this."

She was hesitant at first, but soon leaned in to hear their conversation a bit more clearly.

**"So she did** **it?"** Candice froze, her own fathers voice shouting nothing but torment at her. **  
**

**"Of course she did. Little Darcey here stay's true to her word."  
**

**"How about the girl?"  
**

**"Who? Your _daughter_?"  
**

**"Don't mock me." **snapped David. Candice could already imagine venom seething through his teeth.**  
**

**"Oh, she's gone. Dunno where she headed, though. I saw her running away from the** **house."**

David cackled sinisterly. **"Good, good. So, what's her status?"  
**

**"Single, broken and overall dead to the world."  
**

**"Brilliant. Now, I need you to do something else for me."  
**

**"Depends. How much are you gonna pay me?" **Trent rolled his eyes at his fathers impatient request for money, thinking back to the times when he'd just go out gambling because of it.**  
**

**"Five hundred."  
**

**"Alright then. Shoot." **There's a silence. Nobody talks, and the only sound is the wind brushing against the cold metal fence beneath the prison. Then, David lets out another menacing laugh.

**"...I need you to kill Chase Davenport."  
**

**"It would be my pleasure."**

* * *

**Thanks to gnome12345 for giving me the idea of something happening to Chase, just as Candice found out what really happened! :D  
Review? ;)  
**


	22. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20  
Oh my god! 16 reviews in one day?! You guys are AMAAAAZING!  
**

* * *

I felt the colour drain from my face. My heart stopped beating and I felt weak; unable to stand straight. In the end I collapsed onto the lockers, sliding down with my head in my hands. "I'm stupid... stupid, stupid, stupid..."

Sighing, Trent pulled me up and brushed the hair out of my face. He seized me by the shoulders, shaking me a little. "Don't worry! He'll be safe, trust me. If anything, my dad's clueless when it comes to death traps and all that."

I started laughing hysterically, mocking him. "Clueless?! Trent, have you seen him? He's all muscle -"

"Exactly. That's what he is, and that's _all _he is. All muscle with no brain." I couldn't disagree with him. Michael wasn't really the sharpest crayon in the box. "Just stop giving up on yourself. Look, we'll find Chase and warn him, alright? I don't think my dad has come up with a plan yet."

I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself. Trent exhaled and cracked a wry grin. We started our short journey to Home Ec, still very alert of the situation, yet so relaxed. We were about to turn the corner, until the sound of a gunshot and multiple screems echoed through the corridors, silencing every busy teen that roamed the halls.

People were shocked. Some fled from the scene, others stood on their ground, unable to move. Nobody talked, letting silence envelope the building like a plague. "Chase..." I muttered, my eyes growing wide. "Chase! We need to find Chase!"

I grabbed Trent's hand and together we ran around the school, in hopes of finding the youngest Davenport. There was no sign on him anywhere, which lowered my spirits, but I still couldn't give up.

I was about to turn yet another corner, when a huge crash was heard from the school roof. I glanced at Trent and he signalled for me to go check it out. I nodded and made my way up the steps, frustration and angst bubbling up inside of me.

Once I was on the roof, it didn't take long for my eyes to settle on three tall men in black suits, standing in a neat line, waiting for my arrival. I narrowed my eyes and saw Michael Johnson, holding onto the plaid collar of someones shirt.

_Chase._

"Candice?!" Chase exclaimed, struggling to keep his voice a normal pitch. Michael had a tight grasp on his shirt, smirking once he saw me.

"Hello there, lovey." he mocked, his thick british accent a sign of irritation. "You came right on time. Didn't wanna miss the image of your boyfriend getting slaughtered, I see."

I curled my hands into tight fists, trying to think of an appropriate plan or action. Unfortunately, nothing came to me and Michael scowled. He threw Chase into the arms of his men and advanced towards me.

"Don't you _dare_ touch her!" Chase growled, sounding even more sinister then Spike.

"Shut your mouth, kid!" Michael boomed, cocking the gun towards his head. Chase swallowed, gritting his teeth to prevent anymore further trouble. The older man cackled and lowered the gun, turning around to face me.

"Ah, there now, calm down." he said, resting a hand on my shoulder. I flinched at his touch and backed away. "Don't worry, dear. We'll make _your _death as quick as possible. As for him..." he pointed at Chase, who had a fearsome glint in his eye. "Well, I can't exactly say the same for him."

He pinned me against the wall and held a knife above my neck. I struggled to get out of his grasp, but he held me in such a firm lock that I couldn't even breathe.

"Stop it! Don't hurt her!" Chase yelled, trying his hardest to break free of the two men. I shut my eyes tight and pursed my lips, feeling the cool blade just centimetres above my skin. Michael glowered at him, then stared back at me with a menacing grimace.

"You won't get away with this," I choked, feeling his his hand clutched my neck and blocked my windpipe. "They'll find you. Even if you kill me now, they'll find you."

"It's not just you who I'll find the joy in killing," he sneered. "We're killing the boy too."

"Don't," I whispered. "Please don't."

Michael's eyes softened, and for a split second, I thought it was a stereotypical fairytale moment; when the bad guy turns into the good guy within the minute. But no; he let out a hearty chuckle and loaded his gun.

Then that was it.

He pulled the trigger.

I heard the click.

He shot Chase.

* * *

_**I stared at my mother. A pool of blood circled her body, making the slimy pavement all the more disgusting. but I didn't care for that; I clasped her hand, whispering words into her ear as if she could hear me.**_

_**"Promise me something?" she whispered, eyes heavy with death. I nodded, tears threatening to spill out of my eyes.  
**_

_**"Never lose yourself. It's a big world out there, Candice. People lose themselves here and there, and I don't want you to become one of them," she gripped my hand, her voice barely audible. "When you find the right guy, never let him go. He'll offer you protection and love, and trust me, you don't want to waste any of that. You'll need twice as much of it after this." I bit my lip and she ran a hand clumsily through my hair.  
**_

_**"Your going to become a great woman, my dear. Remember what I said. I love you, baby girl." I nodded once more and felt her tight grip loosen. My heart thudded in my chest. My head started spinning. i couldn't move, budge or even squeek the three simple words back.**_

_** It was enough to tell me that all life and health was gone from Caroline Winters.  
**_

_**I sniffed and let the tears run down my cheeks. I cried and cried and cried; but nobody came. I laid my head on her chest, hoping to listen to her steady heartbeat, but instead I heard silence.  
**_

_**A horrific, dreadful silence.**_

* * *

**I must end it there my lovies :) THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR REVIEWING! Oh my god, I still can't get over the fact that i reached SIXTEEN reviews in TWENTY FOUR hours! **


	23. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21  
Okay, so, I woke up this morning and felt like shiznit cause I just had a dream about zombies eating my hair (don't ask:)). So I logged onto fanfiction and nearly had a heart attack when I saw how many reviews I got! I mean, I'm the type of person who squeels when she gets one review per chapter so you can imagine my facial expression :D :P  
**

**Anywayzzles, enjoy!  
**

* * *

Chase cried out in pain, collapsing to the ground whilst clutching his stomach. He curled up into a ball, sobs raking through his body. I cried too, trying my hardest to get to him; but Michael wouldn't let me go.

"Chase!" I yelled, trying to push Michael away from me. "Let me go!" He chuckled and held me back, pointing the gun to my forehead. I squirmed at his touch and my eyes watered at the sight of my broken boyfriend.

"Now, now, sweetheart. Just calm down, and everything will be fine." he rasped, putting his face close to mine. "Wouldn't wanna end up like your boyfriend, right?"

I glared at him. My eyes said it all. Cold fury lurked beneath my hazel orbs, plotting something that went against him. But I couldn't think of anything whatsoever; my mind was blank and my head was spinning.

"Don't touch her!" Chase yelled, weakly. My heart warmed at the fact that he was still trying to fight away the pain that circled his wound. Michael grit his teeth and pushed me onto the ground, stamping on my leg and almost cracking my bone. Ignoring the pain, I gathered up whatever strength I had left and placed my hand in front of his leg, making him trip over.

Michael looked up, ferocious potential written in his eyes. "You little -"

I didn't give him a chance to finish. I took his gun and held it up, shakily. The two men behind Chase stood their ground, though they looked uneasy and slightly frightened. Gulping, I pointed the gun at Michaels head.

"Let Chase go," I demanded, watching as the two cronies looked at each other with their eyebrows raised. "I _said, _let him GO!" They shuffled quietly away from him, still looking quite hesitant. They both lunged at me, but I dodged their attacks and cocked the head of the gun towards one of their faces. My hands were shaking pretty badly, since I had never held a gun before. Michael put his hands up in surrender.

"Look kiddo, we can work this out. No need to get... to get all vicious with that gun. Here, hand it over and I'll take care of it," he insisted, a scary smile plastered across his face.

"Shut up," I snapped, not in the mood for any of his mind games. To be honest, I was quite surprised with the sudden change of attitude. Just a few minutes ago, we were in the opposite position. _He_ was holding the gun up to my temple, and now I was doing the same to him. "Stay here." I muttered unhappily, making my way towards Chase.

"Chase... Chase, please wake up." I whispered, shaking him lightly. I placed a hand over his wound and gulped when I saw that it was bleeding rather badly. "I'll get you out of here. Just... just try to stay awake..." I kissed his forehead and cradled his head for a bit, feeling lost.

I stood up and walked over to Michael, who was still in the same position. I took my phone out and rang the police and ambulance, telling them to get there as quick as possible. Michael's eyes bulged.

"Look, Candice," he grumbled. "Let's sort this out. Whaddya say, you tell 'em that this is all a fraud and I'll go away. I'll leave you kids alone, alright? I didn't want no trouble. Just doing what your dad told me to do."

I scowled. "You didn't have to do what he told you. You've got your own descisions and I have mine."

* * *

I was allowed to go into the ambulance with Chase. They escorted Michael and his men into the police car, making sure that they carried no threatening weapons with them whatsoever.

One of the nurses, Hayley, gave me a kind smile when she saw me clasping Chase's hand. My knuckles turned white with the effort. "Don't worry, love. He'll be up and better before you know it."

She was wrong. Oh so very wrong.

When we finally arrived at the hospital, they had to practically attack Chase in the operating room. The bullet had gone in pretty deep, but he had no signs of punctured organs or broken bones. He had suffered an extreme case of blood loss, making his health scarce.

Scarce health. Blood loss. Punctured organs and broken bones. It was too much to take in.

After about thirty minutes of waiting, I heard the faint sound of supple leather dancing across the linoleum floor, and it could only mean one thing; The Davenports were finally here.

"Candice?" Mr Davenport said, narrowing his eyes. "What are you doing here?" He gave me a quick hug, still looking confused. "You didn't get hurt did you?" I shook my head, still trying to avoid all eye contact. Tasha and Bree rushed over to hug me too, stressing about what sort of drama my father had conjured this time.

"Oh god, where's Chase?!" Bree exclaimed, pounding on the door where the operation was taking place. I pulled her back, careful not to disturb the people working their magic on the youngest bionic.

"He's in there, Bree. But he's not in the best condition. He took a bullet to the stomach." I mumbled, looking down at the floor. Tears blurred my vision and I felt Adam's arm wrap around my waist.

"Don't worry. he's bionic, remember? He can cope with whatever life throws at him."

I just hoped he was right.

* * *

**Seriously. TWENTY reviews?! In ONE night? You guys... GARH, you guys are AWESOME. Amazing. Brilliant. Fantastic. Beautiful. Chase-Wife Worthy. Overall the best people I know!**


	24. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22  
Good cheesepuff, we've reached 100 reviews! GO GRAVY, GO GRAVY, GO GRAVY! (Bonus points if ya'll know who said that :D)  
SO, I know I haven't written much Candice/Chase fluff :) But HAVE NO FEAR! There will be flufficles in this chapter - and the next one after that, and the next one after that... and, well, yeah. You get it :)  
**

* * *

Finally, we were allowed to see him. My heart thudded and my head was spinning with both worry and doubt. He _needed_ to be okay.

Bree gave my shoulder a squeeze and together we made our way into the hospital room, cringing once the smell of bleach and blood wafted through our nostrils. The light seeping through the curtains was so bright that it was unreal. Bree sped over to a broken Chase Davenport, eliciting a slight moan of discomfort from him.

"Oh my gosh! Are you okay?! Where'd the bullet go?! Do you have a hole in the middle of your stomach?!"

Chase chuckled. "Yes, here, and... I don't know." Bree breathed a sigh of relief and carefully hugged her brother, motioning for me to come do the same. I walked over, my eyes locked with Chase's.

"I'll leave you too alone..." Bree mumbled, nudging me and winking. I gave her a slight smile, even though I felt sick to my stomach.

"How ya feeling?" I asked him, my voice low and quiet. He smiled.

"Better now that your here." he whispered, still wincing from the pain. I gripped his hand.

"I'm so sorry Chase." I muttered, looking at the floor. "I know I should have listened to you. I shouldn't have ran away. I know you never meant for any of it to happen," I gulped. "If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't be in this mess. Just shows that I'm bad news, huh?"

"Candice," he sighed, combing a hand through my hair. It took him enough effort to even _breath. _"Don't blame yourself for any of this. I should have just controlled Spike. Teenage hormones. I should have tamed them." he chuckled, but his eyes never left mine.

I took a deep breath and smiled at him. "Just promise me that you'll be okay?" I asked. He nodded.

"Only on one condition," He said, wriggling his eyebrows. I groaned. "Kiss me."

I rolled my eyes. "You need some rest," I mumbled, looking away from him. Chase sighed.

"Please? C'mon, I haven't seen you in ages and I've missed you." he complained, tracing shapes on my palm. "I'll be sad..." Chase pouted. I laughed and leaned in, him doing the same. It wasn't long before our lips met, creating a beautiful wave of love and lust to wash over me. I had missed him so much, and I hadn't even realised it.

We pulled away, panting slightly. He grinned and kissed my forehead. "Try to stay out of trouble, okay?" he said. I nodded and leant against my hand.

"Are you sure your gonna be okay?" I asked, genuinely worried.

"Yep. I think they'll let me out sooner then they thought. After all, I _am _bionic." Chase flexed his muscles, smirking. I giggled, running a hand through my hair, still fretful.

"Yes you are. But still, Bionics don't determine your human health." I said, poking him slightly on the arm. "But I'm glad your doing well."

* * *

Within two months Chase was finally allowed out of the hospital. He had been complaining non stop, saying that the nurses were weird and that I never got to see him too often (due to school and social studies).

We were sitting in front of the TV late that evening, having one of our movie dates with brownies and hot chocolate. Harry Potter was playing on the screen, even though Adam and Leo had strictly "forbidden" us to watch it.

Chase locked his fingers with mine and I rested my head on his shoulder. "I hate you," I mumbled. He laughed.

"What for?"

"For being amazing." I muttered, sounding quite unhappy. Instead of taking offence, Chase kissed me lightly on the lips and grinned.

"If I'm amazing then your perfect."

"Okay, guys, I'm really enjoying this 'special' moment your having," Leo stated, eyes wide. "But if your gonna get all _personal, _then at least do it without any children in the room!" he covered Janelle's eyes, a dissaproving look on his face. Chase and I rolled our eyes.

The film ended, and soon enough the credits rolled up. None of us were tired, and since Mr and Mrs Davenport were out, we could do practically anything we wanted.

"Let's play spin the bottle!" squeeled Bree. I smiled at her and got into a circle formation with everyone else. We tried to spin a normal green bottle, but everyone's disadvantages got in the way. Adam ended up hurling the bottle out of the window (which was, thankfully, open), Leo was too weak to make a 90 degree spin, and Bree spun it so fast that it whirlpooled itself out of the room.

So it was all up to Chase. Ethan, Janelle, Tom and I decided to let him since he was so eager in spinning it. I didn't need a grasp of the obvious to know what he was about to do. I was proven right once Chase spun the bottle and it landed in my direction. He smirked. "Okay. Truth or dare?"

I sighed and crossed my arms. Janelle nudged me and grinned, a knowing look on her face. "Dare."

Chase looked around the room, scanning it for any source of embaressment. "I dare you too..." he paused and stood up. "Follow me."

"You sound like Jesus," Tom laughed, recieving a playful glare from me. Just as Chase and I turned the corner, he yelled out, "Use protection!"

Once we were out of eye sight, Chase pinned me against the wall and planted his lips on mine. I was shocked but didn't hold back. I tangled my fingers in his hair and savoured the moment, our lips locked and our eyes closed.

His tongue ran across my lower lip, begging for entrance. Without hesitation I parted my lips and felt his hot tongue explore my mouth. Chase's hands roamed around my body, resting at my hips and pulling me in close.

From then on, I knew that Chase was mine, and I was his.

* * *

**So yerp. There's the infamous fluff everyone was looking for! :D Don't worry guys, I won't be ending this story anytime soon (I might make a sequel~it depends! :)) THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR REVIEWING! SERIOUSLY, 28 REVIEWS?! I LOVE YOU GUYS!  
**


	25. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23  
You guys are amazing, I swear :) Thank you so much for reviewing, I'm INSANELY happy! :D  
**

* * *

The next day was, surprisingly, eventful. Since we were well into the Summer Holidays, Bree had insisted on going to the beach for the whole day. I just smiled and nodded, not really up for arguing or disagreeing.

"So that's set then! Candice and I will go shopping for some beach clothes," she linked arms with me. "And you, Adam and Leo set the van up."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait," Chase said, emphasizing the last word. Bree rolled her eyes. "I think it's fair if _I_ go shopping with _my _girlfriend."

"Yeah, but your not a girl so _you_ wouldn't know what to buy for her." she retorted, pulling me away with such force that I had no choice but to follow her. I quickly ran up to Chase and kissed his cheek.

"I'll see you later." I whispered. He smiled and hugged me before letting me go with Bree.

"Bleugh," she said once we walked into David And Goliath. The shop assistants smiled at me, recognizing my face from before. Me and my mom had named this our "Hangout", due to the fact that most of my clothes were bought here. "I still don't get what you see in him."

I laughed. "What do you see in Ethan?"

"Don't change the subject!" Bree grinned, but dropped the matter anyway. "Are you ever gonna visit your dad in prison?"

I froze. It wasn't something I wanted to talk about; but then again, I knew the situation would come up one way or another. "No," I mumbled, flicking through t-shirts with cute slogans. "I can't. He hates me already."

"Don't you want to rub it in his face, that your free and he's not?" she laughed, trying huge shades with thick lenses on. I shook my head, giggling. A cartoon image of me sticking my tongue out at my father was just so entertaining that I couldn't help but laugh.

My laughter soon faded when I saw an adorable tank top that would be able to show my arm.

"Look at it," I sighed, pulling my sleeve up. Luckily, no one but us two were in the shop, and the assistants were all huddled behind the counter, sorting out lipbalms and bags. I pointed at my scar. "It's so ugly."

"It's not ugly, Candice. It shows that your a fighter." Bree smiled, still debating with herself whether or not she should get a belt. "If I was you, I would have died right there and then in the hospital. But you pulled through. _Three _times."

I hugged Bree tight, smiling. "Thanks so much Bree. Your the bestest friend anyone could ever have." I whispered. She grinned and together we got into seperate cubicles and changed.

* * *

The last few bits and pieces were packed. The van was ready, and bottles of sunscreen were carelessly placed in the metal bucket standing opposite the door. Chase grinned to himself, silently pleased that he had managed to do everything by himself.

"Hey, guys!" he yelled. Leo and Adam looked up from their comic books and bowls of cereal, eyes fixated on the intelligant bionic himself. "I've got the van ready!"

Leo jumped up, abandoning his booklets of paper to see what his step brother was up to. "Have you heard anything from the girls yet?" he asked.

Chase nodded. "Yep. Bree took Candice to france. Appearantly they wanted to go 'sightseeing' before they get stuck with three boys for the rest of the day." he chuckled. Leo nodded and inspected the van.

"Is this the same one with all those weird, technical gadgets that I'm not supposed to touch?"

"Nope." Chase answered, moving stuff from one side of the room to the other. The door flung open and he heard laughter. He smiled, loving the fact that Candice's broken soul was now transformed into something as beautiful as herself.

"Chase!" His older sister shrieked. He flinched, knowing that his bionic hearing could be less subtle at times. "Where are you?"

"In here." he muttered, shaking his head in an attempt to get rid of the ringing sound that violate his eardrums. However, when he saw Candice, his face lit up like a childs on Christmas morning.

Chase walked up to his girlfriend and wrapped an arm around her waist. "I missed you." he smiled, getting lost in her eyes. They were a stunning deep brown, a pool of chocolate that were known to be her orbs. Chase didn't know how her father could mistreat her so badly.

He knew that his girlfriend was pure, innocent and above suspicion. So why, out of all people, would she have had to suffer the most? The thought of Candice getting harmed yet again made Chase's blood boil in anger. No, he was never going to let that happen.

He had tried to stop her from getting hurt before, even when he was in enough pain himself. He had planned everything out perfectly; he'd beckon Michael over, and Candice would run back into the school building without a word. Chase had never thought that his girlfriend could retaliate in such a vicious way.

Then again, pressure can mess up anything. It can seep into your lungs and mentally suffocate you; It can crawl into your wonderful dream and turn it into a daring nightmare. It can do so many things that most people are oblivious to.

Chase Davenport had never thought about other girls, apart from the sisterly love he shared with Bree, so carefully before. He had always thought about his grades, the Student Of The Semester plaque, and his Astronaut-Lawyer career taking off. Not _once _did he fret about keeping somebody safe. But ever since he met Candice Winters, his whole perspective changed. A troublesome void in his heart was filled when she uttered her first words to him; "Thank you, Chase.". It made his heart soar, and he had no idea why.

He had thought about seeking Mr Davenport for help. _Maybe it's a problem in my chip that he can help fix. _Chase had thought. He was convinced that he wasn't feeling anything but friendship towards the girl who preferred silence, until he had the common sense to search it up on google.

Chase had tried many things. Google, Wikipedia, even the dictionary; But they all came up with the exact same result.

_Love._

* * *

**Thank you all so much for reviewing, favouriting and following this story :) **


	26. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24  
Whoop! We reached 200! Thanks so much guys!  
**

* * *

We were walking along the broadwalk of the Pier, staring down at the shimmering blue water below. The edges of the cliff pointed out at odd angles, making a suicide attempt clear and unmistakable. I smiled as the wind brushed against my face, silencing the emotion, yet outlining the pride.

I almost forgot what it felt like being _me_. I had been so hung up on grieving over my mother that I had no time for myself. Truth be told, nobody in the world _is _or_ was_ normal. Normal is just another word for "fitting in"; It's just a shortened addition for people who are too scared to express themselves; like me. I wasn't ever normal. I never wilkl be.

Being normal, in every way possible, is boring.

I sat patiently on the sand, knees tucked up to my chest. Instead of weeping into my legs, I was smiling at the blue horizon that towered above me. The sun was bright and welcoming, and the waves lapped the edges of the sand gently. I watched as Chase surfed on a wave, arms in the air, hair damp with sea water. I giggled as he gave me a thumbs up and grinned.

He was a natural. He had been there for me even when the whole world wasn't.

"Candice? Is that you?"

I turned around, my eyes settling on a boy with blondish-brownish hair and sea green eyes. For a minute I thought he was Chase, until my vision focused properly and I saw who it really was. My heart dropped and my knees buckled. _What was he doing here?!_

"...Nate?" I whispered. It _was_ him. There was no doubt about it.

He grinned. I felt a sickening feeling in my gut. "That's me."

"What are you doing here?" I asked, hurt clear in my voice. I crossed my arms and glared at him. He sighed.

"I came alone. I heard about your dad. Are you okay?"

I just continued glaring at him. I didn't want his sympathy, pity or any other feeling he had left for me. "Look," he groaned, frustrated. "I know that what I did was wrong. And I'm _sorry. _I didn't mean to change... It all just _happened_."

I shook my head and collected my stuff. "People change because they want to, Nate. Not because they had to." I brushed the sand off of my shorts and barged past him, eyes clouded over with fury. He took hold of my wrist, squeezing it slightly. I grit my teeth and tried pulling away, but he wouldn't budge.

"Can't we just talk?!" he rasped, tightening his grip. I squirmed and let a small squeel escape my lips. "Look, Candice! I'm _sorry_!"

"Paws off the lady, bird brain."

All hope of getting out alive plummeted down to oblivion as I heard Spike's voice behind Nate. I complained inwardly to myself, cursing the wrong timing.

When he didn't budge, Spike walked closer with a menacing glare in his eyes. If looks could kill, Nate would have been brutally murdered and left in a pool of scarlett thick blood. He gulped in fear as a ring of people crowded around us three, eyes bulging and begging for a fight.

"I _said, _don't touch my girlfriend!" Spike roared, lunging at Nate with his fist in the air. I tried to get him to dodge, but Nate was too stubborn to move. However, I did manage to break their little brawl up just as Spike was about to snap Nate's neck.

"Chase! Stop!" I yelled.

"Who's Chase?!" He growled, his own vicious eyes finding their way to me.

"Stop it, Chase. Spike. I don't _care_! Just calm down!"

"Out of my way," he muttered, looking uncertain of himself.

I didn't know what to do. Of course I wasn't about to let him murder Nate, even if that bastard did do something to me a while back. So I did the only thing that would bring Chase back.

I stood on my tiptoes and kissed him.

For a second Spike still sparked up some kind of recognition in the kiss; but other then that, it was Chase. He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me close, leaning his forehead against mine. He smiled and pulled away. "What was that for?"

"You were about to kill someone," I whispered. He sighed and linked our hands together.

"I'm sorry. When I saw you and him... I don't know. It made me feel angry inside. I really don't know why. I'm sorry." Chase rambled. I giggled and shook my head.

"It's okay. We all have our moments."

* * *

"I hate you for making me do this. This dress is too short!"

"So is life! So live it!"

I cursed silently to myself. I was in the middle of Bree's bedroom, which looked like a hurricane and earthquake all rolled up into one chaotic mess. Shoes and bags littered the floor, and dresses and hangers filled every available wall space needed.

"I shouldn't even be going..." I mumbled. Bree laughed.

"You have to! It's a double date, remember?"

Right. A double date, that consisted of her, Ethan, me, and Chase. "I know, I know."

"Look, everything's looking up for you now! Your dads gone, Nate's gone, Michael's gone - you can live a normal life now!" _Normal's boring. _"No, scratch that. A happy life." _Thats more like it._

"Still, this dress is too short." I pulled at the hem, biting my lip. Bree swatted my hand away, a dissaproving look on her face.

"You look stunning!"

"Thanks, but no I don't. You do, because dresses actually suit you," I sighed. "And we're not even going anywhere fancy, Ethan said! We're going _bowling_!" I emphasized on the "bowling" part, making sure that Bree got the message.

Thankfully, she did. Instead of fancy, 'Cinderella' type gowns, (wasn't my choice of clothing. _Trust _me.) we wore jeans and comfortable tops instead. We met the boys at the bowling alley, after countless debates on whether we should run back and change.

My heart stopped when Chase slung an arm around my shoulder and we turned the corner. The lights blinded me but they were the least of my troubles.

There, leaning against the counter with a devious smile, was none other then Nate Colbat.

* * *

**Ooft, seems like nobody really has their happy endings yet :D  
Thanks so much for reviwing! I love ya'll :)**


	27. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25  
Garh, school starts this wednesday! But I'll be updating like usual (if they think they can keep me away from you guys then they're... weird!) **

**Oh, and some of you were wondering how I described the Glossophobia thing? It was because I had it up until I was eleven (so just last year :P), so it was easier for me to write down what I felt like rather then just make it up :). **

**ANYWAYS, Thanks for reading! :)  
**

* * *

"What is _he _doing here?!" Chase hissed, his hands balling up into fists. I took a deep breath and swallowed the fear; telling myself that it'll be alright. I wanted to scream, _of course _it wasn't going to be alright; I was Candice Winters, a walking disaster.

"Who?" Ethan asked, his arm around Bree's waist. He gave me a look that said 'Whats Wrong', which I quickly shook off. He shrugged and walked over to the arcade with Bree, a curious yet relaxed look on his face. I sighed and turned back to look at Chase.

"Let's just go," I mumbled, walking over to one of the benches. He looked hesitant, but followed anyway.

"Can I ask you something?" he said. I nodded. "What happened between you and him?"

Flashbacks. Memories. My head pounded with them; it erupted with countless words and trash talk. I remembered the names he used to call me. I remembered when he'd stand up for me. I remembered when he _changed._

"It's nothing." I said quietly, staring down at the floor. Chase looked lost, scanning my face for any source of denial.

"Hey guys!"

I looked up and immediately saw Bree with a fluffy pink unicorn wedged in between her hands. I laughed. "Look what Ethan won for me!" I rolled my eyes playfully at her; she was such a child at heart. She stood on her tiptoes and kissed Ethan on the cheek, making him blush a deep red. They walked off to the bowling lane, deep in conversation.

"Those two are so cute," I said, making Chase raise an eyebrow.

"Not as cute as us!" he protested, almost returning back to his normal self. I laughed and together we followed in the wake of Bree and Ethan.

I admit, I still had trust issues. Even after ten months of absoloute friendship and comfort, my faith still wavered a bit when it came to other people. I trusted Chase more then I trusted myself. It scared me; the knowing feeling of never being able to put aside the past and focus on the future.

People say I overthink too much. I know I do; it's just a forceful habit that I have no intention in breaking. I daydream alot, I never get anything right. But hey, nobody's perfect.

Loud music boomed through the speakers, Nicki Minaj on replay. The lights dimmed and settled on the pins we were supposed to knock down, giving the whole hall a neon effect. Chase wrapped his arms around my waist and smiled. "I love you."

I shut out all distractions and focused on the bionic. My heart, which used to feel like a hollow shell, was now filled with a warm concoction known as love. Nobody had ever said that to me before; well, except for my parents. But that was so long ago that I can't even remember their faces when they said it. "I love you too."

Shockingly enough, the whole date went by without much hassle from Nate. He was either too busy with customers, or too scared of Chase. I was happy with either one, since I was kind of glad he didn't find the urge to bother me anymore.

* * *

I bit into an apple as I walked into the lab, looking around for the three bionics. As usual, they were all gathered around their usual stations; Adam was on the table, Bree was texting on her phone, and Chase was messing with Mr Davenports computer.

I walked up to him and placed my hands in front of his eyes. "Guess who." I sang. He jumped at my voice, but then relaxed when he knew who it was. Hesitantly, he took my hands in his and linked our fingers together, spinning around so that I ended up on his lap. "How do you do that?" I mumbled, laying my head on his chest. He chuckled and planted a kiss on my forehead.

"Yuck, why do you guys have to be so icky?" moaned Leo, who was currently Adam's idea of a human dumbbell. I smiled at him and started tracing shapes on Chase's hand, deep in thought.

"I don't know how you do that," said Bree, laughing.

"Do what?" I asked, literally oblivious to the whole thing.

"Keep calm all the time. If Leo had said that to me, I would have taken him all the way to Paris and _left _him there." I giggled at Leo, who looked rather offended.

"You already did!" he complained, crossing his arms. "You left me there for three hours!"

Bree rolled her eyes and continued texting, never taking her eyes off of the screen. Chase nudged me slightly, smiling. "Here, close your eyes." I did as I was told and squeezed them shut. I heard him click a few things and tap a few buttons, before telling me to open them again.

A whole collage of us two was on the computer screen, either holding hands, kissing, laughing, or just plain talking. The whole image took up at least the whole canvas page, and it all looked complicated and digital. I gasped. "You... You did _this_?" Chase nodded.

"Do you like it?" he asked, biting his lip. I gave him a big hug, laughing.

"Of course I like it! I love it!" I exclaimed, grinning. He chuckled and held up a camera.

"Yaknow, we don't have that many photos," he said. "I was wondering if you wanted to take some?" he looked so innocent that I couldn't help but nod. Three hours were spent taking pictures at odd angles, sometimes with serious faces, others with our tongues out and our eyes in different directions.

My favourite one was, by far, when I had my arms around his neck and he had his around my waist. Our lips were just a centimetre apart, and we were both smiling.

It didn't need a caption. It had everything it needed already.

* * *

**Thanks for reading! Love you guys! :)**


	28. Chapter 26

**EPILOGUE**

* * *

We sat on the grass. A blanket was spread out underneath us, and the stars were out and bright. The faint howl of a wolf could be heard in the distance, but I didn't care. All I was aware of was this moment. Right here, right now.

We all make mistakes. Our actions, no matter how big or small, make people misjudge us. Our queries, opinions and reasons don't matter to the people who just want to get on with their life.

I've been through many things. Not only have I experiended the true meaning of friendship, but I've also learnt that not everyone is going to live a life of happiness and gratitude. Some are fortunate enough; others lose all confidence and life in themselves. Most people expressed their emotions through the work that they produced, some through secrets, others through silence. I, for one, was all three.

We all feel guilty. Whether it's breaking an important ornament, or hurting someone very dear or close to us, we all know the difference between the good and the bad.

I froze. She died. It was all my fault.

After Caroline Winters' death, I began to blame myself for everything terrible that had happened. I despised everything and everyone, bottling up my feelings and fastening them tight with an invisible elastic ribbon. Anger, confusion and hatred blinded my better judgement, making me push aside the people that cared.

Lost, lonely, cold and misguided. This was the closest I had felt to the human world. No one had bothered to push aside my fears in order to help me. They left the spite to slowly eat away at my soul, never giving me a second thought.

I had looked into the eyes of defeat and gave in. I let my pride and dignity wander off, leaving a broken human being in it's wake. It didn't matter to me anymore. Nothing did.

They _he _came. His intelligence captured the heart of many; but he still managed to stay with me, the girl who had tried so hard to push him away in the first place. He wedged himself into my pathetic excuse of a life and released the chains that had kept my previous personality in the shadows.

Yes, you know who I'm talking about. The cute yet nerdy, charming yet socially awkward bionic boy known as Chase Davenport. He had seen the good in me, and never left my side until the girl who I used to be came back out.

So, maybe my life hasn't been a hard-hitting fairytale on bionics and despressed princesses. Maybe you expected a perfect teenage girl and a perfect teenage boy with a perfect relationship. Or _maybe _you expected a Mary-Sue with better abilities then the bionics themselves. But no, you have the next best thing.

You have Chase, Candice and little Daisy Davenport.

After all, I was a Davenport now. And everyone knows that Davenports' _never _stop fighting.

* * *

**Like it? Hate it? Wanna kill me for writing the epilogue? (Hope not!)**

**Thank you to absoloutely EVERYONE who has supported me and this story. I honestly cannot say how thankful I am. I mean, c'mon, 280 reviews?! You guys are so amazing commiting to this story.  
**

**I loved writing about Candice and Chase. To be honest, I was a little unsure about writing a Lab Rats fanfic, since I never really got to finish my others. But you guys have really kept me motivated and happy, and that kept me writing :)  
**

**As Candice said, maybe this story wasn't the best since she wasn't really perfect. In fact, she was far from it (Ooopsies :)) But still. Nobody can be perfect, right? :)  
**

**Most have you have asked me questions on how hard having Glossophobia was. Hmm, it wasn't pleasant. Everytime I wanted to talk my mouth would shut and no words would come out. I'd be left looking like a goldfish -_-.  
**

**I guess I kind of based Candice off of me (The personality :)).  
OH! ALMOST FORGOT!  
I will be writing another Lab Rats fanfic (the name? Haven't decided yet :D) so PLEASE, check that that out when I publish the Prologue? :)  
**

**ANYWAYS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR READING! You have no idea how much that means to me :)  
**

**But, for now, I guess it's time to say goodbye to Miss Winters :(  
...Adios !  
**


End file.
